15 May 2014

Most people, especially the youth, desire to own a cell phone with features such as; internet, dual sim card, bluetooth, social media platforms, FM radio, MP3 player and many others.

In the past years, owning such a phone was rare because such features would come at a price, but due to increased access to technology, such phones are now easily accessible, affordable and are being bought at an escalating rate.

Even though owning such phones has become a trend, it has emerged that some people do not pay due attention to conditions of purchase and after care services for such phones, such as exchange, refund, repair and guarantee when buying phones.

In an effort to shed light to consumers on this issue this reporter approached commercial officer in the department of trade and consumer affairs in Tsabong, Ms Gloria Molosiwa for assistance and an expert view on the issue.

Ms Molosiwa stated that consumers are for most of the time not aware of their rights when purchasing cell phones and are usually cheated by retailers.

She said that consumers have the right to be informed and should demand all the information about the phone before buying it.

“Consumers should seek information about the phone before buying it. They should be given all the relevant information about the phone they want to purchase, including price, warranty, features of that phone and any other information regarding their purchase so that they can make informed decisions,” she said.

She further said that consumers should be able to choose a phone that best suits their interest and needs from a wide range of phones.

Ms Molosiwa further said that consumers should learn to compare price with quality and the durability of a product to avoid overspending on a phone that has a short life-span.

She said that comparing prices with quality also helps the consumer to avoid being cheated by retailers.

Furthermore, she said, consumers should stick to the manufacturer’s warranty which is found in the manual.

Ms Molosiwa stressed that consumers should always buy from authorised dealers to avoid buying stolen phones, faulty phones and also to make it easier for them to be assisted when they have a complaint about the product.

She said that consumers should keep receipts and the original package of the cell phone safe as they will be needed as proof of purchase in case a problem arises.

Ms Molosiwa said that consumers should have the right to receive fair settlement in case the product does not satisfy their needs.

There should be a platform for consumers to raise complaints with the service provider through formal channels such as complaint management system.

Ms Molosiwa warned consumers to never buy cell phones when they notice any acts, practices and or any deceptive behaviour that may constitute unfair business practice.

Consumers should never buy from suppliers when the commodity sold does not match any sample or description given to him or her.

She also said that they should not buy a cell phone that is not of merchantable quality, saying that for example, they should never buy a cell phone that does not perform as other cell phones of the same model or as per its description on the manual.

She further said that consumers should never buy cell phones when representation is made that the cell phone is new when in fact it has been altered, reconditioned, used or is a second hand.

“Consumers should never buy cell phones when a phone that is said to be brand new is found to have contact numbers or messages or pictures of its previous user.

In such a case, the consumers should raise a complaint with the supplier,” she said.

Consumers should never buy cell phones when the warranty that is written on the receipts does not match with the one appearing on the manufacturer’s manual, she emphasised.

Ms Molosiwa also advised consumers to take proper care of their cell phones after purchasing them.

She said that they should always ensure their safe handling.

She said that they should never allow their cell phones to come into contact with liquids such as wet hands, steam and or sweat as these may cause liquid damageShe also said that consumers should avoid dropping the phones as this may affect the screen, or cause damage to other parts.

Consumers must always ensure due care whenever connecting the phone to the charger to avoid damaging the charging system, she concluded. ENDS