Know Your Rights!
Complaining about faulty goods or bad service is never easy. Most people dislike having a fuss. However you are shopping it is important to know your rights.
What are satisfactory goods?
The goods must not be broken or damaged and must work properly.
The goods must be as described.
The goods should meet your demand.
If things go wrong...
Go back to the shop, say that your cancel the purchase and ask for a complete refund, repair or replacement.
There are four golden rules:
Examine the goods you buy at once!
Keep any receipts given.
Don’t be afraid to complain!
Be persistent (but not aggressive)!
Exercise 3
Choose the most suitable word or phrase to complete each sentence.
1. The shop won't change any goods without the original bill/receipt.
2. I gave the assistant $10 and she gave me four dollars rest/change.
3. Most of the tourists went bargain looking/hunting in the old part of the city.
4. The food mixer has a twelve month safe/garantee.
5. The washing instructions for this shirt are given on the notice/label.
I'm sorry, but the dress you want is not available/possible in red.
A carrier bag is free with each buyer/purchase over $5.
There are consumer protection laws that affect every retailer/purchase.
I'll have to take the toy back to the shop to exchange it because the mechanism is defect/faulty.
Listening
Work in pairs. Try to guess what Hiro and Kim are saying about the Walkman. Write your guesses above the blanks.
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Hiro: Kim: Hiro: Kim:
Hiro: Kim: |
How do you like your new Walkman? ………………………………….. Why is that? Well, it was a waste of money. It was …………………………………………. but after a month, it doesn’t work. Why don’t you take it back to the ………………….…………………………. I’d like to, but I don’t have the receipt. |
B. Now listen to the conversation and complete the sentences, but do not erase your guesses. Afterward, tell the class about any different answers you have. Why are or why aren’t they possible?
Speaking
Role play
Use these situations to practise complaining and dealing with complaints. In the groups or pairs, discuss what a and b would probably say in the following situation. Think of the exact words they would probably use. Then take a role each.
Situation 1
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STUDENT A |
STUDENT B |
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You were given a sweater for your birthday. It is too big. You have never worn a sweater. You would like to exchange it. The person who gave it to you has told you the store where it was bought. You have just gone up to the sales assistant in the store. You haven’t got the receipt. |
You are an assistant. You try to be polite and helpful. But when you examine the sweater, you find a stain and a small hole. Also, the store does not normally exchange goods without a receipt.
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Situation 2
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STUDENT A |
STUDENT B |
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A CD you bought recently is badly scratched. You haven’t got a receipt, but you buy a lot of CDs from the shop. |
You have just started working in the shop and don’t know what to do. Ask about the receipt. Ask the customer to come back when the Manager is there. |
Situation 3
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STUDENT A |
STUDENT B |
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A jacket you bought for $60 is badly stained. You think that someone has already worn it! You would like to keep it but you want some money back to compensate for the damage and to pay for cleaning it. |
Examine the item the customer has brought back. Ask for the receipt. Apologize and work out a compromise.
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Exercise 4
Translate into English.
Продавець у відділі електротоварів був не дуже ввічливим: не відповідав на мої запитання, тому я написала листа-скаргу.
Хороший магазин побутової техніки повинен задовольняти зростаючі потреби покупців: виставляти на продаж тільки надійні речі, якими можна довго користуватися, і які мають гарантію.
Якщо ви придбали товар з дефектом, ви можете відшкодувати свої гроші або обміняти товар, за умови, що ви зберегли касовий чек.
Reading
Have you ever written a letter of complaint? Read Mrs C. Jones’ formal complaint and find out the reasons for writing the letter.
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16 Manor Road, Harpole, Hants. 22nd January The Sales Manager, Sparks Electrical Suppliers Ltd., 13 South Street, Southampton.
Dear Sir,
On Tuesday you sent one of your fitters to install the dishwashing machine we purchased from your company recently. Although you had assured us that we would not have to pay extra for installation, your workman told us that we had to have a new tap and various electrical fittings before he could connect the machine up. Naturally we had to take his word for it, and we told him to carry out the necessary work. The bill he presented us with afterwards seemed exorbitant, so we went through it and checked the prices of the items. We found that elsewhere the identical articles were little more than half the price he had charged us. Moreover, we have since discovered that we need not have had a new tap at all. We trust, therefore, that at your earliest convenience you will send us another man to exchange the new tap for the old one again. We also hope that, after examining the enclosed bill carefully, you will see to reduce the prices considerably, as well as to deduct the new tap.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs C. Jones
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How does the customer introduce the subject matter? What is the real cause of the complaint? What does the customer want Spark Electrical Suppliers Ltd. to do?
Writing
Paragraph plan for letters of complaint
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salutation
Paragraph 1 reason (s) for writing
Paragraphs 2,3 complaint with justification
Final paragraph closing remarks
name
The purpose of a letter of complaint is to complain about a specific problem. The style is normally formal and the letter should be written with a dignified tone. The reason for the complaint is stated in the first sentence. The language used depends upon whether you want to complain in a mild or strong manner.
e.g. MILD – I am writing to complain about a fridge I purchased from your shop last June.
STRONG – I was shocked by the inferior quality of the fridge which was sold to me at your shop last June.
Linking words are used to give reason(s) for a complaint. e.g. Even though the control switch is at its highest setting, the freezer does not keep food frozen.
A suggestion or request (which can be mild or strong) is included in the conclusion.
e.g. MILD – I hope this matter will be resolved.
STRONG – I insist that you replace the item at once.
Exercise 5
Read the following letter of complaint and number the paragraphs in the right order. Then, find the topic of each paragraph. Is it a mild or strong complaint? Justify your answer. Add a salutation and a name.
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A |
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Furthermore, when I ordered the items over the phone, I was told that if I was not satisfied, I could return the clothes and receive a refund.
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B |
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I am writing to express my strong dissatisfaction with the quality of the clothes I ordered from your catalogue last month.
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C |
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I insist that you refund my money at once. I trust the matter will receive your immediate attention.
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D |
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When I received the merchandise, the trousers were not linen, as advertised in the catalogue, but were made of an inferior fabric. This is unacceptable. Moreover, the blouse had a small hole under the collar.
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E |
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Although I have already sent back the items with a letter requesting that my money be returned, I have not yet received a reply from you.
Writing
Imagine that your cousin asked you to write a letter of complaint to the management of the shop which had sold his girlfriend an imitation instead of an expensive high quality shirt. Look at the letter above and plan your complaint thoroughly.
Paragraph 1: Why you write the letter.
Paragraph 2: What your cousin did first thing he saw what had happened to the shirt.
Paragraph 3: What your cousin wants from the shop which sold the shirt.
REVISION TOPICS