Q: I recently visited a retail outlet to purchase a mobile phone as a gift. Before concluding the purchase, I asked the salesperson about the return policy just in case the person receiving the mobile phone does not like the model. At this point I was informed that the shop does not have any return policies on mobile phones. Hence, once a mobile phone was purchased it could not be returned, even if it was still unused.

I would like to confirm if what the salesperson told me is true or not. I think that it is illegal for a seller not to offer any return policies for sold goods. What are my rights as a consumer?

A: The Consumer Affairs Act provides consumers with the right to claim a remedy from the seller when the goods purchased either result defective or do not conform to the original contract of sale. This means that unless there is something wrong with the product purchased consumers cannot request the seller to replace an unwanted product or to issue a refund. In other words, a change-of-mind situation or wrong buying decisions are not covered by law. In such cases, sellers are free to apply their own return policies.

Before concluding a sale, consumers are advised to check about the shop’s return policies and to look out for sellers who have consumer-friendly after-sales policies that meet their needs.