Invest
It should be easier to fix your phone, Productivity Commission finds
The Productivity Commission has found that it should be easier for Australians to get their smartphone repaired and has recommended changes that include ‘super complaints’ to be reported to watchdogs.
It should be easier to fix your phone, Productivity Commission finds
The Productivity Commission has found that it should be easier for Australians to get their smartphone repaired and has recommended changes that include ‘super complaints’ to be reported to watchdogs.
According to the report, it should be easier for Australians to get their smartphones, tablets and other devices repaired or replaced.
The commission reviewed the “right to repair” in Australia, with consumers complaining that companies make it harder or more expensive to repair devices by anyone other than the manufacturer themselves.
According to the findings, the most common issues in smartphones is related to screens smashing or batteries needing replacement.
However, despite the commonality, the manufacturers were found to make simple issues harder to resolve, with brands including Samsung and Apple allegedly making it nearly impossible to fix the device yourself, or get it repaired from a third-party source without voiding the warranty.
The report noted that some consumer groups say the difficulty in repairing could be intentional as software updates could be forcing consumers to purchase new products.
“Relatedly, there are concerns that the lifespans of everyday products are becoming unnecessarily short and that products are being discarded prematurely, contributing to wasted resources and the proliferation of ‘e-waste’,” the report stated.
These concerns have led to calls for the government to introduce a ‘right to repair’ law, with consumer group CHOICE highlighting the importance of strengthening and clarifying the right to repair laws for consumer goods in Australia.
“The Productivity Commission draft report released today recognises that a ‘right to repair’ is complex – it covers a lot of different laws and protections, from intellectual property to consumer protections,” says Dean Price, senior campaigner at CHOICE.
CHOICE points to internal survey data which shows that 85 per cent of Australians say that buying products that will last a long time is very or quite important to them, so we should be equipping people with information about how long a product will last.
“Our consumer laws are clear, we have a right to a repair, refund or replacement within a reasonable period if a product fails,” Mr Price highlighted.
“However, some companies fight customers every step of the way when they try to enforce these rights. The Productivity Commission is right that consumers need more options to escalate complaints when a company doesn’t play fair.”
CHOICE highlighted that the need for allowing consumer groups to make “super complaints” is long overdue in Australia, stating that a super complaint system would allow designated consumer organisations to take systemic failures to consumer regulators across the country and require these regulators to respond in a timely way.
“Providing consumers better guidance on durability is a welcome first step. The Productivity Commission has recommended that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) provide input into the development of this guidance,” Mr Price said.
“But this guidance should be backed up by information on durability at the point of sale. People want to know how long a product will last when they’re shopping, and the information should be as easy to read as water and energy efficiency labels.”
About the author
About the author
Spending
Aussies splash record cash for Black Friday and Cyber Monday
More than $8 billion was spent between the two shopping holidays, according to NAB estimates. ...Read more
Spending
Festive shopping expected to be bigger and earlier than ever
Australians are set to spend $60 billion at retailers across the country. ...Read more
Spending
Aussies’ spending on subscription rises, but will it stick?
Aussies carved out a greater slice of their spending budgets when it came to streaming services during the pandemic. ...Read more
Spending
Qantas announces $2.3bn loss but plans to be flying again by Christmas
Australia’s national carrier has revealed the devastating impacts border closures have had on the company, while noting a possible return date to international operations in its full-year market upd...Read more
Spending
Will your frequent flyer status be impacted by COVID?
In the latest bid to kick-start the travel industry post-lockdowns, Australia’s largest airline has announced that it is rewarding its frequent flyers by extending their status. ...Read more
Spending
‘Technology, not taxes’: Why not both?
The government has joined the rest of the world in looking to offset carbon emissions, albeit through technology, not taxes, despite the possibility that positive taxes and incentives could potentiall...Read more
Spending
Social media spending balloons to $118bn
Australians are spending a whopping $118 billion on discretionary items through social media and apps, fresh figures have revealed. ...Read more
Spending
Why payphones are set to become free
Australians will now be able to make free calls from any Telstra payphone under a new initiative aimed at helping those who are in need, Telstra’s CEO has revealed. ...Read more
What Omicron means for property, and are units right for first-time buyers? What is equity crowdfunding? Are industry super funds tapping into member funds to save their skins?
Listen now
Will housing affordability improve in 2022? Will buy now, pay later become the norm? Why are Aussies staying in failing super products?
Listen now
Who really benefits from crypto ETFs? How will the RBA respond to rising inflation? Could a mandate help address unpaid super?
Listen now
How the post-lockdown period will influence property, what the soaring NFT market means, and defining financial wellness
Listen now
Spending
Aussies splash record cash for Black Friday and Cyber Monday
More than $8 billion was spent between the two shopping holidays, according to NAB estimates. ...Read more
Spending
Festive shopping expected to be bigger and earlier than ever
Australians are set to spend $60 billion at retailers across the country. ...Read more
Spending
Aussies’ spending on subscription rises, but will it stick?
Aussies carved out a greater slice of their spending budgets when it came to streaming services during the pandemic. ...Read more
Spending
Qantas announces $2.3bn loss but plans to be flying again by Christmas
Australia’s national carrier has revealed the devastating impacts border closures have had on the company, while noting a possible return date to international operations in its full-year market upd...Read more
Spending
Will your frequent flyer status be impacted by COVID?
In the latest bid to kick-start the travel industry post-lockdowns, Australia’s largest airline has announced that it is rewarding its frequent flyers by extending their status. ...Read more
Spending
‘Technology, not taxes’: Why not both?
The government has joined the rest of the world in looking to offset carbon emissions, albeit through technology, not taxes, despite the possibility that positive taxes and incentives could potentiall...Read more
Spending
Social media spending balloons to $118bn
Australians are spending a whopping $118 billion on discretionary items through social media and apps, fresh figures have revealed. ...Read more
Spending
Why payphones are set to become free
Australians will now be able to make free calls from any Telstra payphone under a new initiative aimed at helping those who are in need, Telstra’s CEO has revealed. ...Read more
More articles
Website Notifications
Get notifications in real-time for staying up to date with content that matters to you.
