We accept reports where people consider a business is doing something they shouldn’t. We use the reports to inform our education, compliance and enforcement work.
- When a business sells a product or service that doesn’t meet basic rights, known as consumer guarantees, it must offer the consumer a solution.
- Businesses must not tell consumers to take the problem to the manufacturer or importer.
- When a product has a major problem, consumers can choose between a refund or replacement.
- When a service has a major problem, consumers have a right to alter their agreement with the service provider.
- Businesses must fix a minor problem with a product or service by at least giving a free repair.
I contacted VCAT at the time, but it was going to cost me roughly half what the product (a HDD) was worth to open a case. The retailer in question would only give me a replacement, not a refund (I sourced an alternative elsewhere, so wanted a refund).
Because of the cost involved with chasing the issue, I ended up just getting the replacement and selling it to a colleague (including the receipt so they could follow up warranty if needed, although I did warn them about the retailer’s behaviour). I’ve told everyone I know to avoid that retailer ever since.
Well, tell us who the retailer is so we can avoid them too
Sorry, I’d prefer not to since they are a local retailer and this was in 2012, so maybe, just maybe, they’ve upped their game by now.
This is how businesses continue shady practices :(
You should still report them though