An online retailer of computers, software and electronic goods has amended its site and will consider some warranty claims after Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) intervention.
The ACCC raised concerns that representations made by Esel Pty Ltd, trading as Mwave at www.mwave.com.au, breached the Trade Practices Act 1974 because its warranties and returns policy contained misleading and false information about consumers' rights.
"Online traders should be aware that the ACCC reviews sites regularly and will consider action where remedial work is not quickly undertaken," ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel warned.
"Consumers have the same rights online as if they were to walk into a store. Basically, they can expect that a product would have a level of quality and performance that would be reasonable to expect, do what it is meant to do and match its description."
Mwave admitted its warranties and returns policy contained false and misleading statements about consumers' statutory warranty rights. It has amended its warranties and returns policy and will place notices on its website in its e-newsletters explaining its conduct.
Mwave has also agreed to consider warranty claims for faulty products purchased since 1 July 2007 where consumers were denied a remedy or may not have pursued a remedy because of Mwave's admitted false and misleading statements.