1. 1
Consumer Awareness
Consumer awareness is about alerting the consumers on his/her rights.
It is a marketing term which describes the characteristics of products or services
and marketing 4P’s (place to buy, price, and promotion).
Background
In 1962, a modern declaration about consumer’s rights (consumer
movement) was first made in the United States of America.
http://theviewspaper.net/consumer-awareness/
2. 2
4 basic consumer rights were recognised.
The right to safety
The purchase must be safe for their intended use, testing must be done prior
instructions must be included.
The right to be informed
The complete information about a product must be accessible to consumers.
The right to choose
Consumers have a choice of products, offered by different manufacturers and
sellers, to satisfy a particular need.
The right to be heard
The forth right means that someone will listen and take appropriate action
when costumers complain
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-4-Consumer-Rights&id=316766
4. 4
Such laws obligate sellers to repair or
replace the defective product within
6 months of delivery.
With effect in 2012, provisions of the
Lemon Law was added to the Consumer
Protection (Fair Trading) Act.
(CASE 2004)
5. 5
CASE STATISTICS RELEASED FOR THE YEAR 2013
The Association had received a total of 29254 complaints for the year 2013. Out of
which, CASE has taken up 1452 cases in the year 2013.
1765
1452
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2012 2013
Filed Cases
2280
2093
1950
2000
2050
2100
2150
2200
2250
2300
2012 2013
Assisted Cases
(CASE 2004)
7. 7
(CASE 2004)
CASE STUDY 1 (Handout)
In Jun 2013, Mrs Suainah* purchased a branded brown leather bag worth $510
from a shop. The bag was defective after three months of use as the buckle of the
strap was dislodged due to a loosened screw. Mrs Suainah was issued a product
exchange form in Oct 2013, stating that the shop would provide an exchange for
the bag. However, despite the staffs’ claims that the exchanged bag was new, Mrs
Suainah found the buckle of the strap in similar condition as her earlier bag. She
requested for a satisfactory repair of the replacement bag, failing which a refund.
Mrs Suainah reported the matter to CASE and the business was informed that
they may have infringed upon - CPFTA Section 12A – Lemon Law – Defective
Goods. CASE negotiated with the business and they agreed to provide a
replacement bag. Mrs Suainah received the replacement bag and deemed it
defect free.
8. 8
CASE STUDY 2 (Handout)
In Dec 2013, Mr Foo* purchased a used car from the company at $52,000 and
paid in full. The vehicle was delivered on one day later. Two months later, the
ownership of the vehicle had yet to be transferred to him. Upon research, Mr
Foo discovered that the vehicle was not registered with the company. He
notified the company and they admitted to neglecting the procedure works. The
company gave a further promise to act on the matter within a week but to no
avail. Mr Foo requested to expedite the proper transfer of ownership without
further delay.
The case was reported and the company was informed that they may have
infringed on – CPFTA Section 4(a) - misleading claims, Section 4(b) - false claims
and the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) (Motor Vehicle Dealer Deposits)
Regulations 2009 – delay in submitting finance. The issue was resolved after the
company successfully transferred the vehicle ownership to Mr Foo
(CASE 2004)
9. 9
GUIDELINES
CASE Shopping Tips For Consumers
Compare prices.
Do research, especially for high-value items. For electrical goods, research on
the products and their functions, what could be the common problems to
look out for.
Check goods are in good condition. When buying groceries, check the expiry
date of food items and see if the packaging are in good condition
Ask about refunds and replacement policies.
Ensure there is a warranty for electrical goods. Check on their post sales
service as well
Keep receipts.
(CASE 2004)
10. 10
GUIDELINES
Additional tips: Online shopping
Do research on unknown companies retailing items online
Check that the site has a privacy policy
Ensure that online transactions are secure
For local websites, check for TrustSG or CaseTrust logo for additional
assurance
Before you sign a contract
Read carefully the contract and appendices (if any)
Scrutinise the fine prints
Commit all verbal promises to writing (CASE 2004)
2. Detailed information about ingredients and nutrition must be provided on food containers. In addition, manufacturers must inform consumers about the potential dangers of using their products3. Competition and the resulting freedom of choice provide additional benefits for costumers by reducing prices
This act took effect on 1 March 2004.With its objective : to create a fair trading for consumers and businesses alike.Us, as consumer, should know our rights if we do not want to fall victims to high-pressure selling tactics and aggressive sales person.
As is the trend since 2010, in comparison to 2012, there were more assisted cases and fewer filed cases.This goes to show that consumers are getting more empowered and savvy in taking up their disputes with retailers after receiving a written opinion from CASE.
Should you find yourself in a similar situation, please do not hesitate to seek assistance from CASE.