MUSCAT, May 19 - Ramadhan is the time when consumers tend to purchase more items for their households and also for the purpose of gifting to the dear ones. Undoubtedly, it is the period when demand for everything increases and retailers scramble to keep enough stocks of everything including household items, food and clothing. The Sultanate is no exception to the trend that consumer confidence during the period increases and people spend more on home appliances apart from buying food items for family get-togethers and iftar gatherings.
While shoppers are buying more devices and appliances, there is also a rise in the number of complaints against product warranty and after sales service. To avoid this, an official at the Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP) said that while buying any gadget, get correct information about the products and proper bills for every purchase. According to the official, a consumer, in all cases, is entitled to receive a bill and guarantee from the provider for any commodity. “The consumer shall be entitled to obtain an invoice written in Arabic language proving the purchase of the commodity or the receipt of the service”, said the official quoting Article 15 of the consumer protection law in Oman.
“The invoice shall include the basic information on the commodity or the service and any other information as determined by the regulations”, he said. He said that the product and service provider, in that case, even the advertiser should provide correct information about the product including the price, weight, production and expiry date, the name of the material and components , the country of manufacture etc in Arabic language. Also the law demands that the provider respect the consumers’ right to religious values and customs and traditions. About the guarantee, the official said that the consumer has the right to receive a guarantee from the provider for any commodity.
“This guarantee shall continue to apply in favour of the last consumer when the ownership of the commodity is transferred and any agreement in contravention of this provision shall be null and void,” the official said. According to Article 16 of the law, a consumer is entitled to replace, return or get refund for the value of the commodity without any additional costs if the product is found to be defective or not compliant with standard specifications within 15 days of the purchase. “At the same time, the consumer shall submit proof of the purchase to the PACP for the claim. It should also be proved that the defect is not due to misuse by the consumer”, the official added.
SAMUEL KUTTY
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