Qld; Post Christmas sales kick off today

AAP General News (Australia)
12-26-2000
Qld; Post Christmas sales kick off today

BRISBANE, Dec 26 AAP - Die-hard bargain hunters were preparing themselves for another
bout of `retail therapy' with post-Christmas sales due to get underway in Brisbane and
major tourist centres today.

Brisbane city stores will open from 10.30am to 4pm today, with shops in Cairns, the
Gold and Sunshine Coasts open from 8.30am to 5.30pm.

Other centres were due to reopen tomorrow morning.

In Brisbane and south-east Queensland, major retailers including Myers and David Jones
offered discounts of up to 60 per cent on some items, with men's and women's clothing,
women's lingerie, bed linen and towels and cosmetics expected to be hot sellers.

The sales were expected to end at 4pm on New Year's eve.

Meanwhile, Queensland's Minister for Fair Trading Judy Spence urged shoppers to know
their refund rights before they hit the sales.

Ms Spence said recipients of unwanted Christmas gifts could not demand a refund or
exchange from a retailer just because they did not like the present or it did not fit.

"Retailers are not legally bound to give you a refund if you simply change your mind
about a purchase, don't like or need a present, find that an item of clothing does not
fit, or find the same product at a better price elsewhere," Ms Spence said.

But consumers did have the right to demand a refund if they had proof of purchase and
if the product was not the same as the sample shown, did not do the job it was supposed
to do, did not match the description given by an advertisement or salesperson or had a
fault that was not obvious when it was purchased.

Retailers which displayed signs claiming they did not make refunds on sale items were
incorrect and the refund rules applied whether or not the items were on sale, Ms Spence
said.

Shoppers should keep their receipts and ask to speak to someone in authority or be
prepared to write a letter if they had a problem getting a refund, she said.

Failing that, they should contact their local Office of Fair Trading for advice.

AAP rad/mg

KEYWORD: XMAS RETAIL QLD

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