IT resellers say ACCC's policies not enough

Recently the ACCC stated it was targeting the area of warranties to improve consumer outcomes.

The decision came off the back of the Federal Government review of the warranty and refund provisions of the Act, said Peter Kell, deputy chair at ACCC.

Kell said it was actively looking to target enforcement action on warranty rights, including writing to key industries identified by consumer complaint statistics as generating disproportionate problems and putting them on notice of their obligations.

"The ACCC holds increasing concerns that too many businesses are not well versed in their obligations to consumers and are too quick to equate consumer rights with those provided in express or voluntary warranties rather than the statutory protections afforded by the TPA.

This appears to be a particular problem with high-end electrical products, an area in which consumer complaints are growing.

"The ACCC is also concerned that too many consumers are not aware of their rights - impacting on their ability to assert their position with a trader and making less than informed decisions on choices over the acquisition of products like extended warranties."

However IT resellers don't believe the independent body don't have the power to really protect consumers.

David Cuthill, owner of Digital DNA, said his recent problems over the servicing of Chimei warranties, highlighted some of the poor practises of the industry. 

He said he has rung the ACCC to lodge general complaint highlighting poor practices.

"Whilst it has assigned a case number to it and will have someone look into it, they have also referred me to the ATO as they think it might fall more into their area," he said.

"The [ACCC] don't seem very effective as key control points are outside their area of influence.

"If they really are a body chartered with protecting consumers then they have to be given more powers, even if it is to influence legislation in areas outside of their direct control."

Cuthill said someone somewhere has to take 'ownership' on behalf of the consumer.

"[They] shouldn't need to ring around every government department - heck, I am starting to tire of this journey myself," he said.

The procedure should be as painless as possible as the retailer is already out of pocket and will be out of pocket for courier charges returning the faulty item

Ian Grieve owner of Computer Ambulance said the procedure for when products breaks down should be as painless as possible.

He said the retailer is already out of pocket and will be out of pocket for courier charges returning the faulty item

"[Products] dead on arrival is bad enough, especially when you sell a client on a particular model because you have faith in it. 

"Okay, these things happen but when you ring the supplier and order a replacement and then next day the replacement arrives and the black refuses to print. No matter what you do, including swapping the black cartridge out of yesterday's dead printer, you can't get black to print. 

"You tell the supplier, but they can't do anything until tomorrow. You either lose face with your client and explain another delay and also have your client lose faith in your choice of printer for him, or you go to a large box pusher and buy another printer at full retail price."

Grieve said some distributors and manufacturers wonder why resellers change who they do business with and change what brands its sells. 

"It's not the occasional dead item. It's how the problem gets solved and the costs of doing business with that distributor or manufacturer," he said.

"If they think I am going to waste time sitting on hold because they can't get it right, then let them wonder why I stop selling their brand of printer."