IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD RECEIPT

The recently passed Consumer Protection Act 2004 provides certain absolute rights to the consumer. One such is the right to a good receipt. The Act goes further to detail the characteristics of a good receipt and the Consumer Affairs Commission uses this medium to inform readers of these requirements. Here are some tips about receipts and good reasons for you to receive and store them safely:

Receipts help you protect your Rights
A receipt may be defined as a written acknowledgement of the payment of money for a commodity. It is therefore important to both consumer and vendor. So for example, it helps to Protect your Right to Redress, which means that as a Consumer, you are entitled to fair settlement of just claims. Your receipt therefore, provides proof of purchase/payment and without it, you might have difficulty in making a claim.

Get a “good” receipt?
Many vendors issue receipts that only have the value of the good and no other detail. This is not sufficient information to protect you. In today’s world of commerce, there are certain other characteristics that are important, apart from recording the amount of money paid. The presence of following features constitutes a “good receipt”:

1. The name of the vendor or business where the commodity has been purchased. Unscrupulous businesspersons can easily deny a receipt that does not provide this information.
2. The correct description of the item(s) purchased. It provides protection for both the consumer and the vendor, as there is a record of what was purchased and the cost. This is even more important when several items are purchased and the consumer is challenging one or more specific items and not the entire set of goods paid for.
3. Unique information about the vendor, information such as GCT Registration Number, specific address (especially when goods are purchased from businesses with many outlets or branches).
4. Professional Fees where applicable, especially in relation to Prescription charges. Vendors will be required by law to disclose such information to their customers separately instead of giving one cumulative price, which prevents the customer from knowing the price with or without tax, before the application of professional fees, which are not required by law.
5. The Date on which the Purchase is made makes it easier in instances of claims under a warranty so as to determine the vendor’s obligation to honour such claims.

IMPORTANT NOTES

• Always get a receipt, especially when you pay or deposit large sums of money. Persons have been known to pay as much as $300,000.00 in cash for the purchase of a motor vehicle without obtaining a receipt. If the unit is not delivered, you will not have proof that a transaction was entered into, so protect yourself!
• Check your receipt and make sure it itemises the correct quantity, size and description of the good or service paid for.
• Some supermarkets and most ABM receipts are issued on fax paper, the print of which fades quickly. Until the practice is revised, a useful practice would be to photocopy them.
• Some receipts have fading ink. Look out for these, and if the information is pale and unreadable, point it out to the vendor and have them replace the ink cartridge and reprint your receipt.
• Receipts show that you are the owner of a commodity. In some instances while shopping, you may be required to show proof of ownership if you are going from one store to the next, which sells similar products.

Be vigilant and assertive about protecting your rights. Demand, obtain and retain a “good receipt” …self-protection is the key to exercising your consumer power!

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