Wendy Knowler's Consumer Hacks: If it’s a refund you want, say so
From refunds on online purchases to problematic new cars, Wendy Knowler has five brand new Consumer Hacks for you.
1. If it’s a refund you want, say so
If you buy a product online and they can’t supply it, the company will usually
tell you they’ll credit you. Please know that you do not have to accept a
credit or a voucher, which is the company’s way of ensuring that they lock
you in to spend with them. You can demand a refund instead.
Same story if you exercise your “cooling off” right to return a product
you’ve bought online within seven days - you’re entitled to a refund.
2. Do you know your car’s registration number?
In investigating the case of a woman whose car was stolen, the tracking company
told me: “There was a time-lapse in Mrs. B reporting the actual incident to us,
and in addition, she did not know the correct registration number of the
vehicle, which delayed the process further. These are critical factors which
contribute to the successful recovery of a vehicle.”
So it’s really important to commit that number to your memory.
3. Faulty new car? Act fast
If your new car is proving to be problematic, don’t let the dealership string
you along for months before taking it back.
Firstly, you have the most power during the Consumer Protection Act’s six-month
warranty on defects, and secondly, if the dealership does finally agree to take
back the dodgy car, it will deduct “usage” based on how many kilometers
you have done on the car - something like R4,18 per km, which will severely
reduce your refund if you’ve been driving the car, fighting for justice, for
many months.
4. If a food product is on special, check the date!
Donavan bought a bottle of cranberry concentrate at a discounted price and when
he got home he spotted “clumps of mould” in the bottle. And then he made a
chilling discovery - the original, expired, best-before date had been
covered with a sticker, falsely extending the shelf life.
The retailer said the supplier had illegally tampered with the date mark without
their knowledge.
Always check the best before or use-by date of a food product - very carefully!
- especially if it’s on sale.
About that Big Ticket Black Friday purchase
About that Big Ticket Black Friday purchase: If you bought a new expensive appliance or piece of furniture, and you have household contents insurance, remember to increase the sum you have on your policy as the value of those contents accordingly. If you don’t, at claim time when your insurer assesses your contents’ value, you will most likely be found to be underinsured, and your pay-out reduced accordingly.
Listen to more Consumer Hacks below:
Contact Wendy Knowler:
Get in touch with Wendy via her website or her Facebook page. Please note that Wendy is not able to personally respond to every email she receives. If she is able to take up your case, she will contact you directly. Here are other avenues for you to consider.