Is There Any Australian Consumer Law Rights Regarding Items Bought and on Sale Days Later?

LMonojoker on 05/06/2019 - 08:55

TL;DR we bought about $4400 worth of Super Amart furniture on Saturday (1 June). Salesbot was very helpful, doing us "best deals", the usual guff. We made it quite clear we didn't need anything in a hurry - house being built, etc.

Catalog arrives in mail yesterday, sale starting today (5 June). Couch we paid $2299 for is now $1699. Chair we paid $399 is $299. Pretty much everything we bought is now cheaper, the couch by quite a margin.

I guess I see that a salesperson is under no obligation to say "wait they're on sale soon", but we made quite a point there was no rush, etc. Mainly irked by the $600 on the couch as they said it'd take 3-4 weeks to get one in LOL. Anyway not the end of the world just wanted to check if anyone knows or has experience in what options I might have:

  1. Ask for refund of sale price difference - eg like Supercheap Auto does. Store credit would be fine.
  2. Cancel couch and mattress order as they haven't been supplied yet - unlikely to be granted by Amart? Will bank (Bendigo) likely rule in our favour if we lodged a dispute on the Credit Card over it?
  3. Any other option, consumer affairs?

It's a fwp I know, but rather annoying given the short timeframe between purchase and everything going on sale.

Thanks.

General Discussion

Comments

  • trustnoone on 05/06/2019 - 09:02
    +7

    Did you pay by card? Some of them have price protection?

  • elgrande on 05/06/2019 - 09:03
    +1

    I would be exploring the refund option, and if available use that to negotiate the refund of the difference.

  • Skramit on 05/06/2019 - 09:06
    +11

    To be frank, rather than a forum post, you're better off making a friendly inquisitive phone call to the store and ask what your options are, as you're "not angry, just disappointed". You may find they are more than willing to accommodate you somehow.

    • Monojoker on 05/06/2019 - 09:15

      Oh I will I have all the paperwork here ready for lunchtime. But before I spoke to them I thought I’d ask the experts who may have more knowledge of my rights and the most likely path to satisfaction in this instance. Forewarned being forearmed and all that jazz :)

      I’m well aware you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Mainly I wondered if there was any actual consumer law on timeframes around these things as I googled but didn’t find anything concrete.

      Cheers for the reply.

      • Monojoker on 05/06/2019 - 09:17

        Edit, I should have mentioned my intention to call in OP. It got very long winded already though I thought…

        • Skramit on 05/06/2019 - 09:26
          +2

          Fair enough. I suspect from an ACL perspective it's simply bad luck.

          It's handy to have a credit card with buyer protection for future purchases :)

  • dust on 05/06/2019 - 09:13
    +8

    Is There Any Australian Consumer Law Rights Regarding Items Bought and on Sale Days Later?

    In short no. Stores are allowed to have discounts.

    • waterbottled on 05/06/2019 - 11:21
      +1

      This post answers the question. You have no legal rights when buying something and then having it discounted later. sorry mate.

  • RockyRaccoon on 05/06/2019 - 09:17
    +3

    call them

    Satisfaction Guarantee
    Amart Furniture wants you to love your new furniture. If you find it doesn't fit (or doesn't match) or you have simply changed your mind, just let us know and we will do what we can to assist.

    At any time within 30 days of the date of your purchase, we will happily exchange your goods for goods of equivalent value or provide you with a full refund, however you will be responsible for all transportation costs. We will do what we can to minimise those costs.
    Unfortunately, you may not have a remedy if you simply change your mind after 30 days. Of course, you still are covered by our Quality Guarantee.
    There are no refunds or returns for change of mind on special orders or mattresses (subject to our Sleep Guarantee). And please remember, refunds or returns are only available where the product is returned undamaged, in its original condition and packaging, complete with instruction manuals, assembly instructions and accessories.

    • ThithLord on 05/06/2019 - 09:19

      Yep, just need to cite this and they'd surely be more than happy to refund the difference to keep the sale!

  • savage bargain on 05/06/2019 - 09:19
    +5

    Is There Any Australian Consumer Law Rights Regarding Items Bought and on Sale Days Later?

    No - why would there be? If there was, no one could hold a sale, as there is always going to be someone who buys something prior to a sale/annoucement of a sale.

    The suggestions above are a good way to go forward, and in the future, consider a credit card with price protection (if you don't have one) or if you aren't in a rush, hold off buying until there's a bargain - Amart regularly have sales across their stock in June.

  • Almost Banned on 05/06/2019 - 09:24
    +2

    Your ACL rights are the same as they always are. You have statutory warranties on the goods.
    There is no right to not sell them for less (or more) at some future date.
    However, the salesperson is not entitled to mislead you. If you asked them about sales or discounts and they told you there were none coming up - and they lacked reasonable grounds for making that claim - then you might have a claim.

  • Seraphin7 on 05/06/2019 - 09:30
    +1

    Shoe on the other foot time … what would you do if you bought your goods and a couple of days later the business rings you up and says, "Mate, sorry there's been a price increase. I'll need you to tip in a bit extra."?

  • CyberMurning on 05/06/2019 - 09:45

    Yes the law name is bad luck

  • djkelly69 on 05/06/2019 - 09:52

    They have a sale pretty much every second weekend, if not more often. Why would you buy from them when it wasn't on sale and you weren't in a rush?

  • [Deactivated] on 05/06/2019 - 10:39

    Super Amart customer services are one of the best around.

    You should receive sale price difference easily if you asked them nicely.

    Forget about ACL ,consumer affairs [ They have more things to do than to follow up with your change of mind purchases] or a dispute.

  • Randxyz123 on 05/06/2019 - 10:55

    Did you pay by credit card ?

    Firstly call Amart and ask to speak with a manager. Tell them you are disappointed and ask what can they do?

    There are no price protection laws but most credit cards have this for free

  • [Deactivated] on 05/06/2019 - 10:57
    +1

    The retailer have not done anything even remotely close to infringing on the law so I do not expect the law to require the retailer to provide a remedy.

    Having said that, if they do provide one, that's great.

    That's why I hate retail purchases and I have been on OzBargain long enough to know that if I buy something that isn't OzBargained, I'm in for buyer's remorse. Either that or I buy things that are so niche they never go on sale.

    It's a sickness.

  • tyarrhea on 06/06/2019 - 10:35

    This happened to me last year for a kids bed frame. As we didn’t pick it up yet, I called up and they adjusted the price over the phone.

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