Under the Consumer Guarantees Act, goods have to be of acceptable quality and fit for their purpose. Photo / Thinkstock
Q: When I bought a USB charger, the shop said if there were any problems they would replace it, but not refund my money. I thought this was odd. And it broke the first time I used it. What are my rights here? - Katie, Maungakaramea
A: If you wanted
a refund just because you'd changed your mind or bought the wrong charger, you'd be out of luck. Many shops do allow refunds or replacements in these circumstances although, by law, they don't have to do so.
But because the charger broke the first time you used it, you are probably within your rights to ask for a refund and the shop can't get out of it by claiming that it only does exchanges. Under the Consumer Guarantees Act, goods have to be of acceptable quality and fit for their purpose. If something goes wrong, you have the right to insist that the seller fixes it. If the problem is substantial or can't be fixed reasonably quickly, you have a right to ask for a replacement or receive a full refund.
