Protecting consumers' rights is what CHOICE does best. This also means making sure our readers understand the powerful consumer protection tools at their disposal. So when your purchase blows up, unravels or doesn't do what it says on the box, you'll know exactly what you're entitled to.
Know your consumer rights
Know your consumer rights
CHOICE helps you understand the law so you can fight for your rights as a consumer.
Consumer rights guides
What to do when a company collapses
Our guide to your rights for unreceived goods when a business goes bust.
Problems with a product: how to use your consumer guarantees
A step-by-step guide to identifying and resolving issues.
Problems with services: how to use your consumer guarantees
A step-by-step guide to identifying and resolving service issues.
What to do with a faulty product
Our expert guide to your rights when something goes wrong
Common consumer problems
Learn from the recent consumer wins of other CHOICE members.
Do you need an extended warranty?
Is extra protection worth it? Here are the questions to ask.
Are you being harassed?
There are rules against overly aggressive sales tactics.
Faded receipts and proof of purchase
Thermal receipts fade, but that doesn't mean your rights do.
Pyramid schemes
They seem too good to be true - because they are.
Telemarketers and door-to-door sales
What can you do to discourage unwanted telephone and door-to-door sales?
Your rights when it comes to unfair contracts
Australian Consumer Law deals with unfair contract terms.
How to deal with stuff you didn't ask for
You don't have to pay if you didn't order it.
Articles
Help! I have a Shonky!
We explain your options if you're stuck with one of this year's Shonky products or services.
Shonky success stories
How the Shonky Awards have led to some amazing wins for consumers.
Rather than recalling unsafe products, why not ensure they're safe in the first place?
Businesses, not consumers, should be responsible for managing product safety risks
5 product safety battles we're still fighting
CHOICE is still pushing for reforms on these five issues to protect consumers against unsafe products.
Five product safety wins CHOICE helped deliver
As we continue to celebrate 60 years of CHOICE, we look back at some of our biggest wins.
COVID-19 lockdown and suspicious price hikes on big ticket items
We tracked whitegoods retailers' daily prices and pinpointed some very timely price increases.
CHOICE Shiny Award winners
Recognising kindness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CHOICE launches the Shiny Awards
We want to celebrate those businesses who've done the right thing by consumers during the COVID-19 crisis.
How to ask for a refund due to coronavirus cancellation
Not sure if you're entitled to a refund for an event or service? Here's what you need to know.
5 ways to take control of your consumer rights
Here are our top five things you can do right now to take control of your consumer rights, from getting the best deal to using your voice.
CHOICE CEO calls out businesses taking advantage of the COVID-19 coronavirus
Op-ed: Alan Kirkland says watch out for misleading advertising, price gouging and shonky health claims.
Top 10 tips for sales season
Avoid sales fails with our top tips for the sales season.
Consumer product safety in the UK
The head of consumer protection policy at our UK sister organisation explains how general safety laws help protect UK citizens.
CHOICE renews call for stronger product safety laws
Submission to Treasury outlines our weak product safety laws and the longstanding threat to consumers.
Best and worst electronics stores
Our survey results reveal the best shops and online stores for electrical appliances.
Should you buy electronic appliances online?
CHOICE members share pros and cons of shopping with Australia's biggest online retailers.
Help us get The Checkout back on Australian TV
Let us know what you think about bringing back the popular consumer affair series.
Australia's weak product safety laws
Businesses are not legally required to ensure the products they sell are safe.
What do I do if my new car turns out to be a lemon?
We explain your rights if something goes wrong with your new car.
CHOICE calls for a general safety provision
New laws would make it illegal for Australian businesses to sell unsafe products.
Kogan refunds and returns policy shows room for improvement
Is the online retailer playing fast and loose with Australian consumer guarantees?
Bissett magazine services goes under
Will the affiliated publishers do the right thing?
How to handle a pushy salesperson
What to do when salespeople try to stop you from walking away from a sale.
Are you owed a refund or compensation?
If you've bought a dodgy product or been misled, check here to see if you're entitled to a court-ordered compensation or refund.
How long should your household appliances last?
We look at the lifespan of washers, fridges, TVs, phones and more, and when you should repair vs replace.
The markets the ACCC will be watching closely
The chair of the competition watchdog has shared its 2018 enforcement priorities.
Complaints to the ACCC surge 39%
Repair and refund complaints rose to 29,000 last year.
Faulty cabling puts thousands of homes at risk of fire
There's still 2000km worth of defective Infinity cabling in Australian households.
Harvey Norman extended warranty provider faces ACCC undertaking
One of two extended warranty providers will have its sales practices come under ACCC scrutiny.
Fines, product safety and refunds targeted in final consumer law report
Review recommends 19 legislative changes.
Slap businesses with bigger fines: Productivity Commission
Review of ACL picks apart its shortcomings.
Beware the hidden conditions in your user agreement
You may be clicking away your consumer rights when you're forced to agree to terms and conditions for most digital services.
ACCC boss takes a swing at bad big businesses
Consumer watchdog head promises stronger enforcement in 2017 and calls for harsher penalties for wrongdoers.
We're after fines that'll dent big businesses: ACCC
A change in strategy by the industry regulator has seen bigger penalties from the courts.
Calls for product safety reporting to be made public
How safe are your products? CHOICE has submitted a freedom of information request to find out.
Marcs, David Lawrence gift cards: use them ASAP
No guarantee they'll work in five weeks after companies were placed into administration.
Members share what CHOICE means to them
We don't like to blow our own horn – we let our members do it for us.
Consumers could soon save by accessing their own data
New government proposals around big data give consumers the power to unlock big savings.
Countdown to the 2016 Shonky awards
Who will take home the prize?
CHOICE fights changes to product safety reporting
Products that cause death or serious injury should be reported within 48 hours, not four days.
NSW Fair Trading launches complaints register
Real estate agencies LJ Hooker and Ray White top the list for customer complaints.
Non-disclosure agreements
Can gag orders from the likes of Thermomix, Ford and Holden prevent you from criticising their products?
No refund in sight for Dick Smith gift card holders
Administrator calls for liquidation, says company will have $260m shortfall.
Forever Flawless customer win
Skincare company refunds $3000 after complaint about high pressure sales tactics.
CHOICE calls for Consumer Law changes
CHOICE weighs in on the Australian Consumer Law Review suggesting six key changes to protect consumers.
Parents warned about kids casting scams
Beware big promises for little return.
AGL fined for misleading marketing
Mid-contract price changes coming under increasing scrutiny.
CHOICE consumer wins 2015
There's still plenty more work to be done, but we ticked a few boxes this year.
Consumer law and extended warranties 2013
Our shadow shop showed salespeople have a lot to learn about consumer law.
Do salespeople understand consumer law?
Our shadow shop of Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi and the Good Guys found that salespeople are still struggling to understand consumer guarantees.
Consumer resolutions in 2016
From avoiding surcharges to better value insurance, we give you our top new year tips for consumers.
Why you should care about the TPP
Access to cheap medicines, clear food labelling and public interest laws is under threat.
Credit card debt and debt collectors
Woman has credit card debt cut by $22,950 after collectors continue to harass.
Customer service shadow shop
We check up on Australia's retail service standards.
Dick Smith announces closure
Embattled electronic retailer Dick Smith is set to close following an unsuccessful attempt to find a buyer.
Changes to Ts and Cs
Can a business change the terms and conditions of your contract?
Consumer organisations
Fighting for consumers behind the scenes.
Dick Smith customer database now with Kogan
Shoppers have until 22 March to say no to the transfer of their personal info.
What the US withdrawal from the TPP means for Australians
An opportunity to renegotiate pain points
Gender equality and consumer affairs
How well are women represented in Oz consumer affairs?
Dick Smith: every extended warranty will be honoured
Extended warranties are okay, but manufacturer's warranties may be another matter.
Energy and mobile phone contracts rife with unfair contract terms
Despite the ACL, unfair terms don't seem hard to come by.
When goods aren't fit for purpose
It pays to know your legal rights when it comes to products that don't do what they should.
Competition Policy Review delivers consumer reforms
CHOICE supports competition policy recommendations, albeit with concerns in the area of human services.
Having trouble paying your electricity, gas or water bill?
As power and water bills continue to rise, it's more important than ever to know your rights about disconnection.
In the dark on interest-free deals
Be wary of interest-free finance offers – they could cost more than you expect.
Big business and penalties for bad behaviour
Do big companies just treat monetary penalties as the cost of doing dodgy business?
Interest-free shopping offers
Read the fine print before committing to a 'buy now, pay later' shopping scheme.
Nuisance calls
CHOICE research shows that Australians are hounded by fundraising phone calls, with a quarter fielding requests for cash every week.
Data collection by loyalty programs
Who's really getting a bargain when it comes to store loyalty cards?
Loyalty programs and privacy law
What are businesses allowed to do with your personal information?
Financial ombudsman update reveals systemic issues
Under-reported misconduct by financial services reps is under investigation.
Product recalls and safety
Should consumers demand better protections when it comes to product recalls?
Friend or fake?
Review sites can be a great source of information, but can they be trusted?
Refunds and returns - your rights
If you need to return a purchase or get a refund, know your rights.
Signed TPP deal leaves Australians in the dark
CHOICE calls for an independent inquiry of the benefits of the TPP.
The pros and cons of lay-by
Lay-by can be a cheap and convenient way to budget but you should be aware of the pitfalls.
Trans-Pacific Partnership text revealed
The TPP has been brought out into the light, but consumers are still in the dark.
Trans-Pacific Partnership: experts take on the intellectual property
With the final intellectual property chapter recently leaked, CHOICE spoke to experts to find out how the TPP will affect Australians.
TPP secretly trading away your rights
Negotiated behind closed doors, what effect will the Trans-Pacific Partnership have on consumer rights and privacy?
Trans-Pacific Partnership: what does it mean for you?
With the final text presented to a Parliamentary inquiry, find out how the TPP will affect Australians.
Why you should care about the TPP
Access to cheap medicines, clear food labelling and public interest laws is under threat.
Epic product fails: your top picks
World Without Choice competition finds plenty to work with, but there can only be one winner.
Related
Shopping for services
If you're paying someone else to do it for you, you'll want them to do it better or faster than you would.
Online shopping
The world's biggest shopping mall is always at your fingertips. Knowing how to navigate it properly can save you time and money.
