Shopping fair
When making purchases while on a holiday or buying from an exhibition, evaluate the goods carefully, besides checking out the complaint redress procedure in case of a defective piece 

A friend visiting Delhi bought a couple of beautiful handloom sarees from a temporary stall put up at an ‘exhibition’ venue. He was thrilled with his purchase, meant to be a surprise gift for his wife on her birthday.

From what he told me later, his wife was equally happy with the gift, till she opened it fully. That’s when my friend got a real surprise — the saree was torn near the border at two places. By then, he was back in Bangalore and he found that the receipt that the stall owner had given him did not give either the telephone number or the address of the seller. I asked him to contact the organisers of the exhibition, but he did not know their address either.

I quote this incident to highlight the kind of problems that one may face while purchasing from an exhibition, where the sale takes place through temporary stalls put up for the purpose. The sellers at many such exhibitions would be from different parts of the country and may not be available later for any complaint redress.

So whether you are making purchases while on a tour or a holiday or buying at a fair or an exhibition, one of the first points that one needs to remember is to always check the goods carefully before purchase. As far as possible, shop during the day when you can see the goods better.

It’s easy to get carried away by the variety on display at an exhibition so a buyer should take the trouble of double checking and keeping receipts carefully

It is also advisable not to purchase on the last day of your trip (or at the last minute) or on the last day of an exhibition, as you will not have an opportunity or the time to return or exchange the goods.

It is also absolutely essential that you collect the receipt for the amount paid (proof of purchase) and make sure that the receipt has the name and the contact details of the seller. You also need to check the complaint redress procedure, in case of a problem (or defect). Will he take back the goods if they are defective? And if you have to mail the goods, who will pay for it? How long will it take to get back your money or a replacement?

If it is an exhibition, it is equally important to get the contact details of the organiser. Even if the sellers are not from your city, at least the organiser might be and that would be helpful, particularly if you have to file a complaint before the consumer court and have to look at the territorial jurisdiction. So if you have paid for the entry into the exhibition hall, keep that safe too.

These are just precautionary measures that you need to take as an alert consumer. In case, you end up with a defective piece, you must be aware of the problems that you may face in respect of complaint redress and be prepared to deal with it accordingly.

I remember this case of a Mumbai resident who had purchased an expensive saree on the last day of an exhibition. By the time she found that there were defects in the exquisitely embroidered saree, it was too late — the exhibition was already over.

How do you deal with such a situation? Well, the best option in such circumstances will be to contact the organisers and impress upon them to intervene on your behalf. After all, they also have a responsibility towards the goods sold through their exhibition.

If they are unwilling to help, the second option is to send the seller, a formal letter demanding a refund or an identical replacement, along with photocopies of the receipt and photographs of the damaged part. It is also important to make it clear that the seller has to pay for the courier charges.

If the retailer agrees, one has to keep that letter safe and send the goods through a reliable courier with the goods duly insured. It will also be important to keep the copy of the courier receipt and the acknowledgement from the seller of having received the goods.

If the seller does not play fair and does not redress the complaint, then one must be prepared to go to the consumer court — and that’s when all these papers come in handy.

Let me clarify — I am not trying to dissuade you from shopping while on a holiday or at an exhibition venue. All I am saying is one must be aware of what to do, if by chance, things go wrong. Having said this, I must also say that it should become mandatory for the receipts at these exhibitions to mention the contact details of not only the seller but also the organiser.

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