Masters stores are closing down by 11 December 2016. Returns are no longer possible for change of mind, and very limited repairs and spare parts will be available from 12 December 2016. After stores close, however, consumer guarantee failures will still be remedied as set out below.
1. Our Commitment
Our Returns Policy addresses concerns you may have with your purchase if it is defective or faulty, or does not otherwise meet any consumer guarantee.
Masters is however closing down on 11 December 2016, and after this time very limited repairs and spare parts will be available.
2. Process for Returning a Product
For all returns before 11 December 2016, please approach the Returns Desk located at the front of every Masters Store. After 11 December 2016, please use the Portal at: www.masters.com.au which will guide you through the returns process in relation to goods or services that are faulty or defective, or do not otherwise meet any consumer guarantee.
With Proof of Purchase
The tax invoice, docket or receipt you received with the product you purchased at point of sale is the best proof of your purchase (although it is not necessarily the only one).
Where you have proof of purchase, we will provide you with a refund in the form of a direct deposit to your nominated bank account. As set out in section 6 below, however, there will be no refunds for change of mind in relation to goods purchased after 30 August 2016.
After 11 December 2016, please upload your proof of purchase to the Portal (at www.masters.com.au). In case you are unable to follow this process, however, please call 1300 337 707 for assistance.
Without Proof of Purchase
If we cannot be satisfied that you purchased the product from us then, under the law, we are entitled to elect whether or not to accept your product for return or refund.
How long do I have?
Your rights to a remedy under the Australian Consumer Law for goods or services that do not meet consumer guarantees, are not limited by a single defined time period. The Australian Consumer Law recognises that the relevant time period can vary from product to product, however, depending on factors such as the nature of the product and the price. Masters adopts the same approach. As you can appreciate, the type of remedy we can offer may also vary depending on how long it takes you to return the product to us. After Masters stores cease trading on 11 December 2016, for example, spare parts and facilities for the repair of certain goods will not be available. At Masters we will always take a fair and reasonable approach.
3. Have You Simply Changed Your Mind?
On 24 August 2016, Woolworths Limited announced that all Masters stores will close by 11 December 2016. As such, this section of the Returns Policy has been updated.
We will no longer allow return or exchange where you have simply changed your mind, for products purchased after 30 August 2016.
4. Your Statutory Rights
You have rights under the Australian Consumer Law. In relation to such rights, we must tell you that our goods and services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. You are entitled to a refund or compensation for a major failure, or to repair or refund for a failure does not amount to a major failure.
If you suffer losses as a result of our failure to comply with a guarantee, you may be able to recover compensation for those losses from us.
To obtain compensation, you would need to provide documentary evidence of the loss or damage suffered, and documentary evidence that such loss or damage was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of our failure to comply with a consumer guarantee under Australian Consumer Law. Such evidence may include photographs, statutory declarations, receipts or reports (e.g. from your doctor), depending on the loss or damage.
We are not obliged under the Australian Consumer Law to give you a refund, replacement or arrange for a manufacturer's repair in all circumstances - the Australian Consumer Law provides for some exceptions.
For example, your use of goods can affect their durability and the guarantee of acceptable quality will not apply if you:
· use the goods abnormally;
· cause the quality of the goods to become unacceptable; and/or
· fail to take reasonable steps to avoid the quality becoming unacceptable.
Abnormal Use is not specifically defined in the Australian Consumer Law, however an example of abnormal use might include using a small electric lawnmower to mow four hectares every fortnight. Another example would be using the product contrary to a manufacturer's instructions.
5. Product Repairs and Service
Where you wish to have your product repaired or serviced in circumstances where the product has not suffered a failure that would amount to a breach of one of the consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law, we can refer you to the manufacturer for repairs and service of the product, usually at your own cost. For example, you may require a repair due to:
a) the product suffering from normal wear and tear;
b) the product having a problem that occurs after the expiry of the product's expected life (having regard to quality, price and other similar factors); or
c) the product having a problem that arises because of excessive use or failure to take reasonable care to maintain the product in good working order and condition; or
d) the product requiring repair due to Abnormal Use (see section 4 above).
While we are not obliged to offer you a repair free of charge in such circumstances, you should be aware that you can choose to have such repairs or product servicing performed at your own cost.
To assist you in doing so, the Australian Consumer Law provides that the manufacturer of a product should have, for a reasonable period of time and having regard to the expected life of the product, facilities to repair the product and/or have adequate spare parts. Please be advised, however, that spare parts and facilities for the repair of certain goods will not be available after Masters stores cease trading on 11 December 2016. Where possible, Woolworths Limited will work constructively with manufacturers in relation to the repair of faulty or defective goods. Alternatively, Woolworths Limited will work with customers to provide a suitable remedy in relation to goods which do not meet consumer guarantees.
6. Product Assessment
After 11 December 2016, please go to the Portal (at www.masters.com.au) to have your product assessed. You will be able to insert on the Portal details of the product that you consider is faulty or defective, or otherwise does not meet consumer guarantees. The Portal will guide you through the options which may include us arranging for the products to be couriered to a central returns centre for assessment at our cost. Before 11 December 2016, the following existing product assessment process still applies.
Once we have established proof of purchase, we will need to assess your product to determine the nature of the issue and how we can help you, be it a refund, repair or exchange.
Any cost incurred by you in bringing the item back to the store will be borne by you.
If your product cannot be returned, removed or transported without significant cost to you because of the nature of the failure or the size, height or method of attachment of the product, please contact us and we will arrange for the product to be assessed.
If the product has suffered a major failure (as defined in the Australian Consumer Law) and you wish to reject the product, we will collect the product at our expense.
We may need to send your product to the manufacturer for an assessment of any repair work required to be done and/or the nature of the product's problem.
If the product is assessed as failing to meet one of the consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law (e.g. it is defective or faulty), repair work will not be at your cost.
Depending on whether the failure of the product is assessed as either major or minor in nature, then you may either get the product repaired or be entitled to a refund or replacement.
As you will appreciate, it can take some time, often 6 weeks or more, to assess a product fault, undertake repair work and return the product to you.
If the manufacturer concludes that the product has not failed to meet one of the consumer guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law, we will contact you to ask whether you would still like the repair or product servicing work to be carried out by the manufacturer or their servicing facilities. Such repair or product servicing work would be at your own cost.
In some circumstances, particularly if some time has passed since the date of your purchase and if the product fault, the product may not be covered by a guarantee. If so, we will recommend to you that you speak to the manufacturer direct for repair or servicing work. This will make it easier for you to make arrangements where the product is assessed as not having failed to meet a consumer guarantee under the Australian Consumer Law.
Services
You may have entered into a delivery contract with Masters or an installation or assembly contract with Masters Installation Pty Limited for services relating to the product you have purchased.
If you are entitled to return and receive a refund of the purchase price of a product to which that delivery, installation or assembly contract relates, you will receive a refund of any amounts you have paid under the relevant contract and that contract will terminate.
If you are entitled to a refund of an amount you have paid for services under the delivery, installation or assembly contract, you may return the product to which the contract relates and we will provide a refund of the purchase price of the product to which the services contract relates.
Repair Notice
Where you return an item to us and that item requires a repair, you should be aware that the repair of that item may result in loss of any user-generated data stored on the item.
You should also be aware that, in some circumstances, goods presented for repair may be replaced by refurbished goods of the same type rather than being repaired. Refurbished parts may be used to repair the goods.
7. Access to Your Personal Information
Our respect for customers’ right to privacy of their personal information is paramount. We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all personal information, no matter how or where it was obtained, is handled sensitively, securely and in accordance with the National Privacy Principles.
We may collect personal information during the refund, repair or exchange process in order to comply with our fraud identification processes.
If you wish to obtain further information on our Privacy Policy, you can find it at http://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/page/privacy-policy/
8. Contact Us
For further information on anything contained within this brochure, please discuss with your local Masters Store Manager, visit our website (or the Portal from 12 December 2016), or contact us directly via the details below. You can contact us after your local Masters store has closed at the number below.
Website and Portal www.masters.com.au
Phone 1300 337 707