shopping
Let’s face it – we’re born to shop. Most of us hit the shops at least once a week, whether it’s for retail therapy, something special or that must-have buy. But shopping’s no fun if you think you’re getting ripped off, or you spiral into debt
Bee Gee, 19, is typical of her generation. In her spare time, the year 12 student likes nothing better than to go clothes shopping with girlfriends or her mum. “It’s a chance to catch up with friends – and it’s good exercise,” says Bee, who always budgets for the sprees funded by a weekly allowance from her parents. Alannah Allen, 17, also budgets for clothes. She recalls saving for three months for a hot jacket and then seeing it on sale at a city boutique. Unable to believe her luck, she bought it, only to find a tear in the fabric when she got it home. “I took it back in the next day, but was told by the shop assistant that there was no refund or exchange on sales items,’’ Alannah says. “I asked to speak to the manager and she pointed to a tiny sign I hadn’t seen before in my excitement. I was devastated. I’d wanted this jacket for so long and now I had a dud.’’ Basically, Alannah was ripped off. Under Victorian law, she was entitled to a refund. To be able to enforce that right, she would need to be able to prove that she had bought the jacket from that particular store – that’s why it’s always a good idea to keep your receipt. Seconds and samples stores are also obliged to refund you if their goods are faulty, although these stores are obliged to point out any faults in items before you buy. Sam Travis, 18, who works part time in retail, says it pays to find out the refund policy of a store before you buy. “I know if something’s faulty, I’m entitled to a refund and that I should hang on to the receipt. Sometimes a store will also offer an exchange or credit note,’’ Sam says. “But they may not offer a refund if you just change your mind or find it cheaper somewhere else.’’ Most stores display their refund
Bee Gee, 19, year 12 student
“I get a weekly allowance from my parents. I save half to go for a big shop, usually with friends or my mum, and the other half for things like cigarettes, petrol, taxis and coffees. I like shopping in Chapel St and Chadstone. I get jeans from Bettina Liano and Roy, tops from Cotton On, and cheap and colourful things from Supre. I don’t have credit cards. It’s better if I stay away from them!”
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Jerry Lee, 19, peruses CDs
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second opinion – particularly when it comes to clothes. “That way you know you’re going to get an honest opinion rather than just some sales assistant telling you something looks good when it obviously doesn’t,’’ Emma says. Sevda Karaosmanoglu, 18, says while she is guilty of the occasional impulse buy, she looks for quality items offering value for money. Sevda also tries to set money aside for the occasional splurge. “I try to save when I can and put it into my bank account so when I do want something more expensive, I have the money already,’’ she says. The best way to learn to save is to set a budget – something many of us find hard. Danielle Richmond, 18, who has a spendwhat-she-earns philosophy, says budget is a foreign word, although she does set herself limits. “I don’t really budget for things, but if something costs more than I can afford, then I will try to save up for it,’’ she says.
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“But a store may not offer a refund if you just change your mind or find it cheaper somewhere else”
– Sam Travis, 18
Be wary of the swipe
There’s no doubt shopping is easy when you can just swipe a credit or store card. Credit cards are a convenient, short-term
fix when you’re short of cash, are good for emergencies and can come with cool reward programs attached. But unfortunately, credit is actually someone else’s money – it’s debt, and is not always the answer to your shopping dreams. Credit can lead to impulse buying and tempt you to spend more than you have. In fact, rather than giving you more options in your spending budget, it can actually limit your shopping down the track as your income is blown on repaying debt. In other words, credit equals more debt and less freedom. Leah DePasquale, 20, says she is afraid to get a credit card, despite working full time, because she cannot trust herself to show restraint. “I love shopping. I go at least once a week. But I can’t really afford to have a credit card. I don’t think I’d be good at paying it back,’’ she admits.
policies on a sign above the register or on the receipt – and even if these say “No refunds”, you are entitled to a refund in some circumstances.
credit note, but you are entitled to insist on a refund.
When can I NOT get a refund?
If you: change your mind knew or should have known about a fault before you bought it (for example, a fault in a factory second that was clearly obvious, or was pointed out in some way) damaged the product yourself by not following the instructions or through misuse then the store is entitled to refuse to refund your money, or
don’t have a receipt and can’t prove where you bought the product. Some stores might still offer a credit, exchange or partial refund in these circumstances, but this is beyond their legal duty, and they can set conditions as they wish – although it’s good business practice for stores to display those conditions. It’s then up to you to decide if it’s worth it to you to accept the conditions. For example, a store might state on receipts or signage “Refund on change of mind purchases provided goods are returned within 14 days with original receipt”.
Photographs of shop interiors taken at Genki, Melbourne
When can I get a refund?
If the product: has a fault you didn’t know about when you bought it doesn’t do what it is supposed to do, or is different from how it was described to you. Note: instead of a refund, you may be offered a repair, an exchange or a
Wise buys
Shopping is fun, right? However, unless you land a top-paying job at an early age, the chances are you’re shopping courtesy of a part-time job, savings, pocket money or generous parents. So how can you stretch your shopping dollar further and ensure you are buying well? Emma Smith, 18, likes to shop with a friend so she can get a
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gs 1. The best thin n’t come d hot shoes do signer jeans an De lurge and before you sp cheap, so think e item. ally do need th decide if you re ands and and compare br 2. Shop around rsion in buy a cheaper ve prices. Can you another store? all, that’s impulse – after 3. Don’t buy on out to d cash you’re ab your hard-earne ten spend lse buys can of part with. Impu on your e cupboard than more time in th inute te, avoid last-m body. On that no a party casions such as shopping for oc impulse re more likely to or date, as you’ Paying back credit is the catch. If you end. buy and oversp really need haven’t got the funds to pay your credit how much you 4. Ask yourself xt sale? bill in full after a set period, banks and out until the ne it. Can you hold finding the stores will hit you with interest. And hit worse than There’s nothing st a week you hard. bargain level ju price slashed to Scarily, a few hundred dollars spent t your savings. after forking ou on your card can over time amount to budget and a realistic 5. Set yourself thousands of dollars you need to repay, uch you need Work out how m stick to it. and you’ll soon find yourself spending ch as a mobile nses su d for ongoing expe all your time paying back interest and od and rent, an inment, fo phone, enterta charges without making a dent in your t’s left. try to save wha own debt. tears, r you’re buying fo Control is the key. Remember 6. Inspect what . And ts ip or other faul that you control the credit card; it poor workmansh in it hing with a hole shouldn’t control you. The best rule don’t buy somet home – it fix it yourself at to apply when it comes to credit is: thinking you’ll dodgy a up looking like find out how the interest free period will usually end works, and then decide if you can patch-up job. policy e store’s refund afford to pay off the balance at the Find out what th 7. can be Sometimes you end of the interest-free period. before you buy. is where ange in a shop If the answer is no, have a uck with an exch st s your eye. rethink. Find another method thing else grab no u never of payment or get back to your your receipt. Yo 8. Always keep me loose from scrimping and saving. There’s no n the sole will co know whe will bust on point having a great wardrobe shoes or the zip your new when you haven’t got any money ite jacket. your favour left to go out and show if off! in by sales. Just ed 9. Don’t be suck esn’t ’s on special do hing because somet Want a credit or that it’s the it’s a good buy mean . Only alternative? nd for that item arou cheapest price Why not try lay-by? u really want it. if yo buy something Lay-by is like an interest ng and you does go wro free alternative to credit. 10. If something ee “Making the store (s Basically, you select an need to speak to u keep a diary ake sure yo item, pay a deposit (usually a complaint”) m and what is k to, when, 10 per cent) and enter into an of who you spea le, and polite, reasonab agreement with the store to said. Try to stay (not always t you want pay it off in instalments until clear about wha strating!). situation’s fru it’s paid in full and you can easy when the take the goods home.
Jerry Lee, 19, university student
“I only go shopping when I’m looking for, or need, something in particular. Otherwise, I don’t like to just walk around with no purpose. I spend money on going out, expensive alcohol, sports gear and food. I get random spending money from part-time jobs, but haven’t been working recently because I had a knee reconstruction. Yes, I have a credit card but, no, I haven’t been in debt.” Lay-bys are a great way to buy those more expensive items – as long as you’re prepared to wait. But be aware of the terms and conditions. Under Victorian law, you must be given a written lay-by statement outlining what the goods are, how much they’re worth, deposit paid, when instalments are due, the outstanding balance, any cancellation fees and how they’re calculated and when the balance is due. Remember, you may be charged cancellation fees if you fail to honour your regular instalments. s
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Photographs of Jerry Lee taken in Hipper, Southbank
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