buyers beware!

When a product is defective
PUSHPA GIRIMAJI

On a recent visit to Delhi, I bought a silk saree for my mother. The saree got a little wet in the rain and the magenta colour of the border bled and completely spoilt the cream colour of the saree. I had paid Rs 2,600 for the saree and I feel bad. What do I do?

I hope you have kept the cash receipt safe. Enclose a photocopy of the cash receipt and write to the shopkeeper explaining the problem. You can also take a picture of the saree and send it along for better effect. Remember, under the Consumer Protection Act, which defines the rights of consumers, the saree is now a "defective product" and you have a right to a full refund or a defect-free replacement (whatever you prefer).

You can say this in your letter to the shopkeeper. Keep a copy of the letter with you and send it by registered post, acknowledgement due. If the shop has an e-mail id, you can also send a mail with these attachments. If you are opting for an exchange, you will have to do so only on your next visit to Delhi. Get a letter from the shopkeeper assuring you of this. If you are opting for a refund, return the saree only when you get the money.

Can one file a complaint before the consumer court without a receipt? The shopkeeper against whom I want to file a case did not give me a receipt for the defective cellphone battery.

A cash receipt carrying details of the retailer (including his address), description of the goods sold and it’s cost is very essential to prove the sale of the product. Without it, your case may well get dismissed, unless you can produce some other proof of purchase. That’s why it’s absolutely essential that you collect receipts for purchases.

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