Rave!! Consumer Protection Act

[Cassie]

If they can implement this...our world will be a better place!!

 

http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/how-the-new-consumer-law-protects-you-1.1020996

 

I refer you to an extract...."Ordering online? Goods will have to be delivered at an agreed date, time and place. If not, you will be free to accept or cancel the agreement – it’s your choice.

 

Companies are also obliged to deliver goods that match the sample or description of the product. You have the right to examine your purchases before accepting them, and reject them if you’re not happy.

 

If you didn’t get a chance to examine the product and are unhappy with it, it can be returned at the supplier’s expense."

[Giant]

Not a good thing,

Online shops will increase prises to cover the 2nd postage.

Also most of us sell something, or work for a company that does.

Welcome to a whole new set of loopholes for dishonest people to use to screw you.

[Cassie]

Do YOU perhaps work for GIANT???

 

[AndreZA]

Al they do is state that it will be delivered within 21 days (normally 5-7) and when it arrives in 10 you will praise them for their great service and going the extra mile in getting the stuff to you sooner.

[TNT1]

If they can implement this...our world will be a better place!!

 

http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/how-the-new-consumer-law-protects-you-1.1020996

 

I refer you to an extract...."Ordering online? Goods will have to be delivered at an agreed date, time and place. If not, you will be free to accept or cancel the agreement – it’s your choice.

 

Companies are also obliged to deliver goods that match the sample or description of the product. You have the right to examine your purchases before accepting them, and reject them if you’re not happy.

 

If you didn’t get a chance to examine the product and are unhappy with it, it can be returned at the supplier’s expense."

 

F*&k me. Did comrade julius come up with that garbage?

[Cassie]

Wonder how they are going to implement & police this...

 

more job creation???

[Justin]

Yes. They will now state that shipping will take 3 months.

 

Also, you cannot just be unhappy with the product because you actually bought the wrong thing. If there's nothing wrong with the product you will not be able to return it "at the shop's cost". The shop will probably not refund your shipping costs. Also, they will be very tentative to swop it if the packaging has been damaged.

[Danger Dassie]

There's good and bad in this, more good though I feel. As much as it can be said that dishonest people try their luck, the same can be said for consumers being ripped.

[Minion]

Agreed date and time also means that it they say they will deliver on Friday at midday and they deliver on Thursday morning, you can reject the delivery and tell them to bring it back on Friday.

[ricochet_rabbit]

The act does not explicitly refer to new items so is there a lawyer on the hub who knows if it applies to used goods too which would have repercussions for the term "voetstoets".

[Christopher Brunsdon]

Well I see the act as an opportunity for legit business to profit from it as not only will the consumer be the winner, but companies that can stay within the law will win hands down.

 

I cannot wait to see how it effects my wifes industry (hair salons) as its an industry where the majority of business need to be regulated.

[cat-i]

i'd love to see a law where if a company decide the debit order amount, that they are forced to have call centre staff with basic maths skills. grade 4 would be great, anything better would be a bonus.

[Tokyo]

Laws regarding online shops are a bit of a grey area the law can not be used to govern international online shops so the local shops are just going to move accounts overseas and get .com addresses

[GrumpyOldGuy]

The act does not explicitly refer to new items so is there a lawyer on the hub who knows if it applies to used goods too which would have repercussions for the term "voetstoets".

 

"Voetstoets" sales will no longer be legal in the broad sense. The law says the goods MUST be suitable for the job its intended to do" - so in other words, if you buy a pop up toaster it must toast bread and it must "pop" up - if it only toasts and do'st "pop" up its not doing what it was inteded to do and the customer will have the legal right to return it and request his money back, vendors will not be able to hide behind the fact you bought it voetstoets.

 

The consumer protection act is a VERY GOOD THING its bringing us in line with the rest of the world regarding customer rights, which until now in SA have been incredibly poor.

Accountability in any business transaction will now be enforced, and vendors will have to be accountable for the products they sell, how they sell them, and how they deal with customer issues like items not functioning as they were intended - no longer can they hide behind the small print.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Yes. They will now state that shipping will take 3 months.

Also, you cannot just be unhappy with the product because you actually bought the wrong thing. If there's nothing wrong with the product you will not be able to return it "at the shop's cost". The shop will probably not refund your shipping costs. Also, they will be very tentative to swop it if the packaging has been damaged.

 

Unlikely that will be regarded as "reasonable" so it will not stand up to a court test. If its made clear to the customer at the get go it will take 3 months due to importation shipping etc, and the customer AGREES then it will be acceptable, it can never be an acceptable blanket time frame for all items.

 

Yes if you buy the wrong item, naturally you cant return it, same applies if the item is functioning as per the description, and I agree return shipping to the supplier will normally be carried by the consumer, however replacement product from the supplier will be paid for by them, not the consumer.

 

It remains to be seen how vendors will deal with the packaging issue, the law may need to be tweaked a bit, but I dont think it will be an issue, a reasonable person will know you have to open the package to test the product, so I cant see how the law will protect the vendor not taking the goods back due to packaging issues - I think any test in court will prove that wont be an issue.

[TNT1]

the local shops are just going to move accounts overseas and get .com addresses

 

Surely the .com or .za or whatever bit is incidental? Surely the law that governs the shop trading online is based on the physical address of the domain registrant/trading entity? I mean when you register a domain,you need to supply a physical address, can use a SA address to register .com, .za, .au .whatever domains, and SA law applies over me first.