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The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission, which at one time carried on a relentless campaign against offers of free gifts and lotteries by manufacturers on the ground that they were prejudicial to consumer interest, had observed in the case of Avon Cycles that it would serve the public better if manufacturers were to bring about a reduction in prices. "Resources", the commission had said, " that are deployed for the purpose of prizes could be more optimally utilised for maximising consumer satisfaction through a general reduction in prices". But who cares for such sane advice? Come festival season and newspapers are full of offers of gifts, lotteries and scratch cards. Buy an electric kitchen chimney and you get a microwave and a gas stove free; buy a mobile phone and you get a blue tooth headset free; buy a computer, get a printer free; buy a television set and get a music system free; buy a CD player and get some VCDs free. Well, the inducements are endless. So it’s all the more reason for consumers to make the right choice and not let these offers dictate their decision in respect of a product or a brand. The scratch card, for example, has become quite a popular marketing gimmick. These cards are an improvement on the lucky draw schemes, where your hopes are kept alive till the day of the draw, while here you scratch the card at the time of purchase and know your luck instantly. However, don’t let such offers cloud your judgement of the product. Remember, most of the time, what you get when you scratch the card is some inexpensive, useless or unwanted product. So give due importance to quality, price and after-sales service and let these guide your choice. The same rule applies to the scheme of ‘free gifts,’ too, and I suggest that you find answers to the following questions vis-`E0-vis such schemes: (a) Is the so-called free gift really free? Did the manufacturer increase the price of the product prior to the announcement of the scheme in order to cover, partly or fully, the cost of the gift? Is the gift of good quality? Does it carry a warranty? What is the cost of the gift? Does it serve any purpose? Is it of any use to you? For example, with some purchases, you get a silver coin. What purpose does it serve? What is the use of such a coin, particularly when it’s weight is negligible? Another festival offering that needs to be examined carefully is the holiday package. Recently, a friend bought two mobile phones from a particular shop because they were offering holiday packages with every purchase. What she did not realise was that the so-called holiday offer was restricted — it only provided free stay for a couple in a five-star hotel for two to three days. But in order to enjoy that free stay, consumers had spend on travel to reach the destination, and then they had to bear all other expenses, including food, at the hotel. So in order to avail of the free gift, one actually ended up spending more. So whatever you buy this festival season, I would suggest that you choose the product on the basis of its quality, safety, after-sales service and, of course its price. Make sure that you get a proper receipt with the warranty card duly signed and stamped by the dealer. Remember, if a shopkeeper or a manufacturer misleads you about a product, it constitutes an unfair trade practice and you have every right under the Consumer Protection Act to proceed against him and demand compensation for any loss or suffering caused to you. You must also remember that the offering of a gift or prize with the intention of not giving it or creating an impression that it is being offered free when the cost is either fully or partially covered by the amount charged in the transaction, constitutes an unfair trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act as well as the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act.
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