The Consumer Protection Act allows a consumer to return goods in four instances. For example, with direct marketing or, as we refer to, the “cooling-off period”, which allows a consumer to return and get a refund on the goods they purchased after a period of five (5) days. Consumers are also allowed to return goods when the purchased items have not been seen before the purchase when the purchased items do not meet the intended purpose, and lastly, for defective goods in the case of an implied warranty of quality.
The Consumer Protection Act does not make provision for buyer’s remorse. This means when a consumer buys an item and the next day regrets it. This is not a reason for the item to be returned because the consumer does not like it anymore or feels like they spent too much money on it and therefore had a change of heart. An act of remorse does not constitute for the return of goods.
As discussed above, there are very limited circumstances where a consumer can return an item or get the items repaired/replaced. Some retailers allow consumers to return an item without reason, but it is not a general right for consumers to do so. Knowing whether a retailer allows a consumer to return items with a legal right depends on the retailer’s return policy. Certain return policies state that a consumer can return items within ten (10) days of purchasing the item for any reason, as such a policy provides an up-front guarantee of customer satisfaction.
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