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With Diwali round the corner, I am all set to go shopping for some electronic household goods. What precautions should I take to be a smart shopper and ensure that I get a good deal?
If there is a free gift, you need to check whether it is really free or whether the cost of the so-called free gift is being collected from you through a hike in the price of the product that you are buying. You also have to consider whether you need the free gift at all and if not, whether the retailer is willing to give you a discount in lieu of the free gift. It is also important to check the offer of interest free EMIs because I have often found that the interest is collected in some other form- mostly as processing fee. So carefully scrutinise the authenticity of all these offers.
Many times, buying from an e-shop may be cheaper, but make sure that the shop is genuine, they will deliver on time and collect the money at the time of delivery. Whether you are buying from a virtual store or a brick and mortar store, tell the shopkeeper that he has to stick to the delivery time and any delay in delivery constitutes deficiency in service and you would expect to be compensated for it. Also warn him that if there is inordinate delay, you may well cancel the order itself. This is necessary in view of the fact that shopkeepers never stick to the time of delivery during the festival rush. You must also consider the after sales service of the brand that you are buying. Get the phone number of the service centre and ask them if they have any timelines for attending to consumer complaints. You can also check online on the performance of the service centre, through consumer complaint websites. I would also suggest that if you are buying from a brick-and-mortar shop (and not an e-shop), try and choose those nearest to your residence or place of work, so that if there is any problem, reaching the shop is easy. Also, if the product has some manufacturing defects, will the retailer give you a replacement or ask you to talk to the manufacturer? Buy only from those retailers who are willing to take responsibility for the products that they sell. I would also suggest that you insist on a delivery time that suits you and pay the full amount only on delivery Lastly, always collect a cash receipt with all the details and the date of purchase properly recorded. You must also get the retailer to put his stamp and signature on the warranty card. And keep them both safe. Last time, I purchased a television set from a neighbourhood retailer. Upon delivery, when I opened it, I found the model to be different from what I had ordered. The shopkeeper insisted that this was a better model and he was offering it at a discount because he did not have stock of the model that I had chosen. What are my rights in such situations? Once you have chosen a model, the retailer has no business to give you something else, to suit his interests. I must also point out that delivering a model other than what you have ordered or bought constitutes an unfair trade practice and you have every right to cancel the deal for a full refund, including transportation charges and compensation. In Giriraj Studio VS M/S Koron Business Systems, for example, the apex consumer court made it clear that delivering a brand or a model other than the one ordered by the consumer constituted an unfair trade practice (RP no 2419 of 2002). The Consumer Protection Act provides for compensation against such practices.
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This is that time of the
year when manufacturers woo consumers with a variety of attractive
offers, such as discounts, gifts, prizes and interest-free EMIs. I
would suggest that you first scan their advertisements and offers in
newspapers, mark those that interest you and call up and ask for
details. If it is a discount offer, is it on all the models or only on
some (outdated?) models?
You should also go
through websites that give you a comparative account of different
models and brands, along with their prices. This would help you make
an informed decision. After you have zeroed in on a brand and a model,
I would suggest that you do a quick check on what other users are
saying about it. See if there are any complaints about the product on
websites that provide for consumer complaints. This will really help
you in making a wise choice.