We spend the months leading up to Christmas in a frenzy of shopping, but some of us then spend the days afterwards trying to exchange unwanted gifts or get faulty presents repaired. Know your legal rights before you hit the stores and you’re much more likely to get a good outcome. Lifehacker sums up your entitlements when it comes to refunds, exchanges and warranties.
Let’s all say it together: naughty Gerry! Harvey Norman has been fined $1.25 million by the Federal Court for misleading advertising.
Qantas has promised refunds and expense payments to customers who were affected by its weekend grounding, and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) seems keen to see that happen. In a sternly-worded statement, it has told Qantas to make sure it pays all reasonable expenses incurred by travellers stranded during the grounding.
The ACCC has form when it comes to exposing dodgy tech promotions, having busted HP over its less than stellar cashback offers and taken Nokia Care Centres to task over substandard service. Now it has taken Panasonic to court over a 2008 promotion offering a free Wii console with some TV models.
We’ve noted around here before that people don’t read newspapers much anymore, and that’s now having an impact in some unusual ways. The ACCC — which is responsible for product safety recalls as well as slapping around dodgy companies — wants to change the way recalls are issued after realising that newspaper ads often don’t get noticed.
Another day, another slapdown of companies ignoring Australian consumer law by the ACCC. This time, it’s Nokia Care Centres under the microscope, with the phone service organisation promising to withdraw unacceptable terms and conditions.
Each year, consumer advocacy magazine Choice gives out its “Shonky Awards” for the most dubious examples of stupid and deceptive behaviour by major brands. Top of the list this year? Qantas’ $7.70 per domestic booking credit card charge, which Choice says is way above the industry average of 1%.
