I received a product that doesn't match its description on the website. What are my options?

What the Law Says

Australian Consumer Law (ACL) gives you automatic consumer guarantees when you buy goods — including online purchases. One key guarantee is that goods must match their description.

When a business advertises a product online — for example, by listing features, size, colour, brand or model — the ACL treats that description as a binding promise. If the item you receive doesn’t match it, the business has breached the consumer guarantee in section 54 of the ACL.

This guarantee applies regardless of any disclaimers like 'no refunds on sale items' or 'sold as seen'. Those terms are not legally valid if the product fails to meet its description.

You’re entitled to a remedy without delay. The type of remedy depends on whether the problem is major or minor — but mismatched description is often considered a major failure, giving you the right to reject the goods and get a full refund or replacement.

Statutory Text

A consumer is guaranteed that the goods are of acceptable quality, fit for any disclosed purpose, and match their description.

— Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), Schedule 2 — Australian Consumer Law, s. 54 — Description of goods

What to Do

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