Great update, thanks!

Consumers can also use their banking protections to dispute payments for faulty goods, poor delivery, or misleading ads. Platforms like PayPal handle this well, but your bank or financial institution can also step in - often alongside consumer protection channels.

Reply to article

For original story, Click Here.

Consumers must assert their rights, if not for yourself - but for the next customer who comes along with a problem. Every time someone stands up to a business it makes it more likely the business will fix the underlying problem with their goods or services.

There are three things most people won't mention that are critical to consumer rights:

1. MOST importantly if you are seeking a refund and the business refuses - if you've paid via CREDIT CARD then you contact your card provider and demand a REVERSAL and explain you are asserting your rights under the Consumer Act. This then becomes a cumbersome issue for the BUSINESS to have to then deal with and it changes the onus of responsibility back onto them to prove their goods and services weren't faulty / defective etc. Its a simply and effective right we need to assert more often.

2. Also remember that warranties and guarantee's given by businesses or manufacturers are a waste of time. The "Consumer Guarantee" which is a protection in law - means I can actually demand a refund / repair etc for a faulty product ANY TIME after I purchased it so long as I can justify it, based on reasonable use etc. Again - this puts the onus back onto the business. There is no such rubbish as "oh sorry your product has just gone out of warranty".

3. The Consumer Act also has a little known provision that stops consumers from having to spend time and money in pursuing a refund. That is - you are able to claim against a business any reasonable costs for doing so in ADDITION to the refund. When you make known to a business you intent to pursue them for all costs involved (past and future) and they understand they're liable for often much much more than just the refund itself - you'll find they suddenly become a lot of more helpful. They key is ensuring you make them understand you know your rights and aren't afraid to use them.

Consumer rights are the cornerstone of an economy as business doesn't exist without customers and those rights need to be asserted regularly and when needed - harshly.

Reply to article

For original story, Click Here.