When a product has a major problem, consumers can choose between a refund or replacement.
Try telling that to a few retailers I've dealt with. When I said I wanted a refund because the product did not work at all, they basically pointed me to their lawyer.
Did u try threatening them with the accc? It works most of the time and if it doesn't call the accc report line and after enough reports they with fuck up whoever denied u.
I contacted VCAT at the time, but it was going to cost me roughly half what the product (a HDD) was worth to open a case. The retailer in question would only give me a replacement, not a refund (I sourced an alternative elsewhere, so wanted a refund).
Because of the cost involved with chasing the issue, I ended up just getting the replacement and selling it to a colleague (including the receipt so they could follow up warranty if needed, although I did warn them about the retailer's behaviour). I've told everyone I know to avoid that retailer ever since.
Perhaps, but in this case my privacy is more important and I can already warn IT people in my local community. If this were a business with multiple stores, then my answer would be different.