Know Your Rights as a Consumer

A consumer is a person who buys goods or uses services. Every consumer should enjoy a certain degree of moral or legal claim to the goods or services they purchase. Consumer rights differ legally in different countries with respect to the goods/service being enjoyed. However, they enjoy similarities in intent and purpose. Because consumer expectations are diverse in nature, service providers sometimes find they have to include terms and conditions of service, warranties or guarantees to protect themselves and sometimes the consumer. Whatever the case, there are certain rights which should be considered as fundamental to the purchase of any good/service. They include:

·         The Right to Quality: Consumers should enjoy the satisfaction based on the qualities derivable from every product or service they purchase. The quality derivable from a product or service should meet certain standards. These standards are often times dictated by the consumer, profession, industry, law/governmental institutions, social or moral obligations.

·         The Right to Choose: Consumers should be able to choose between various products/service options as well as whether or not to patronize a service provider

·         The Right to Information: Consumers should be provided enough information about a product/service necessary to help them make an informed decision of purchase. This should also include feedback and follow up on issues affecting the product/service they earlier purchased.

·         The Right to Compensation/Refund: Consumers should be able to seek compensation for defective goods, inadequate services or a breach of terms and conditions of service. Compensation and refund should of course be approached within limits.

·         The Right to be protected: Products/services purchased must be safe for use and should not ordinarily constitute physical, social or legal harm to the consumer.

·         The Right to Voice an Opinion: a consumer has the right to express their opinions, either satisfaction or complaints about the product/service they purchase.