Letters of the month: faulty TV, short-lived printer, buying overseas & more

Overseas purchase

If I buy a Sony camera from the official Sony store in Saigon and I bring it back to New Zealand, will it be covered by the New Zealand Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA)?

- A MEMBER

If you buy a camera in Vietnam, it will not be covered by New Zealand law – so no CGA rights. There may be a limited international warranty, but if that applies, make sure you understand what it does – and does not – cover.

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Parcel not delivered to door

Earlier this year I ordered a two-person Grab & Go emergency kit online. I clearly put our villa number and address on the order. The retailer let me know it was on the way and gave me tracking details. We live in a retirement village where our villa is half a kilometre away from the village centre. The parcel was delivered to reception at the centre. We were at home at time of delivery. Fortunately, my husband was able to lift the 4kg parcel in and out of our car. Some residents may not be able to do this and/or don’t have a car, which is why they order goods online so they can be delivered to the door. I didn’t think this service was good enough, so I emailed the courier. The courier said deliveries may go to village receptions due to time restraints because the area it covers is large. I am interested in receiving your comments on the situation. I wonder if the suppliers know that their orders aren’t being delivered direct to customers’ doors.

- A MEMBER

It’s the responsibility of the retailer to make sure that your parcel is delivered to you, not somewhere convenient for the courier. And you have paid for delivery to your address. The fact that the courier has to service a large area is unfortunate, so leaving everything at the retirement village office is convenient but is likely to breach its contract with the retailer. We’d suggest you let the retailer know what has happened so that it can follow up.

The retailer apologised and brought it to the attention of the courier company which agreed there should have been a direct delivery.

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Faulty TV

We have a 55-inch UHD Samsung Smart TV that is 3 years old. We got the TV as part of a promotion and the warranty has expired. The TV has a fault, and we can’t use it now. According to a Samsung contractor, the TV fault has nothing to do with our use of it. The contractor said we would have to pay for the fix, but they would push the claim through to Samsung first. Can you tell me who should be paying to fix the fault?

- SUSAN SALTER-DALY

Even though the warranty has expired, you’re covered by the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) as this is not a user error and a television should last longer than 3 years. In this case, as there was no retailer involved, Samsung should fix your TV for free and reimburse you the cost of the call-out fee. If it can’t be fixed, Samsung should either replace it with the same model or pay you the difference between what you would have paid for it and what it is worth now.

Samsung gave Susan a new (and better) television.

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Short-lived printer

I bought a Colour Laser Jet Pro HP Printer in May 2021. Less than 3 years later, the control panel stopped working. I went back to the retailer, and it said the printer was no longer covered by a warranty. The retailer’s computer system wouldn’t allow it to send the printer back to HP to be checked. I spoke with the general manager about my rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA), but she looked at me a bit blankly. Could you please advise as to what my next steps are?

- SANDRA LOCK

Under the CGA, you have to give the retailer the opportunity to assess and repair the product within a reasonable time. You’ve done this – a problem with the retailer’s computer system is not your problem! The printer is not of acceptable quality, and you now have the right to reject it and be given a replacement or your money back. We’d suggest you put this in writing to the retailer.

The retailer replaced the printer.