6. The goods that I have ordered are delivered to me in poor condition. Can I reject the goods and ask for a refund?

6. The goods that I have ordered are delivered to me in poor condition. Can I reject the goods and ask for a refund?

Generally speaking, sellers have a duty to deliver the goods and buyers have a duty to accept and pay for the goods in accordance with the terms of the contract. Section 37 of the Sale of Goods Ordinance provides that buyers are deemed to have accepted the goods when:

• they tell or intimate to the sellers that they have accepted the goods;
• when the goods have been delivered to the buyers and they act in relation to the goods in a manner which is inconsistent with the ownership of the sellers (e.g. the buyers claim that they are the owners and then resell the goods); or
• after a reasonable time they retain the goods without intimating to the sellers that they have rejected the goods (whether a “reasonable time” has elapsed can be determined by whether the buyers had a reasonable opportunity to examine the goods).

Rejection of Goods

You are entitled to reject the goods and get your money back if the goods:

• are faulty;
• are not of satisfactory quality;
• do not match their descriptions; or
• are different from the ones you ordered.

In order to make a valid rejection, there must be a clear indication that the goods were not accepted and remain at the risk of the seller (i.e. the buyer takes no responsibility for the goods). You should call the seller immediately, return the goods by yourself, or ask the person who delivered the goods to take them back.

Under section 38 of the Sale of Goods Ordinance, where goods are delivered to the buyer, and the buyer refuses to accept them with a lawful reason (e.g. the goods are not of satisfactory quality), that buyer is not bound to return them to the seller (although he may still do so). It is sufficient if that buyer intimates to the seller that he refuses to accept them.

A clear and prompt rejection is particularly important if you are not buying at a shop or on the spot. For instance, when you are ordering by phone, fax or on the internet, you don't get to see the products until they are delivered to you, and often you have to pay in advance.

Return of Goods

If you find out some problems on the goods after accepting them , you may not be entitled to return the goods and demand a full refund. However, you can sue the seller for compensation if the seller refuses to replace the goods with the new ones.

Delivery

The seller must deliver your goods by the agreed date. The seller should let you know if the goods can't be delivered on time. If the date for delivery has passed and you haven't received anything, you may treat it as though you had never placed the order (if you have previously emphasized that punctual delivery is necessary). If you have already paid, demand a full refund.