At the beginning of last month Samsung issued a recall for all Galaxy Note7 phones sold in New Zealand because the battery could overheat and catch fire.
On the 11th of this month, Samsung followed up by asking all global partners to stop sales and exchanges of Galaxy Note7's while a further investigation takes place.
With all of this in mind, the Ministry of Business, Innovation - Employment's Consumer Protection team is reminding people to become familiar with their rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA).
Mark Hollingsworth, consumer protection manager explains that when a business supplies a person with a product for personal or household use and there's a problem with it, they have the right to ask them to fix the problem under the CGA.
“If the problem is serious you can take the product back and ask to choose a replacement of the same type and similar value, or ask for a full refund of the amount you purchased it for. A product that is unsafe is an example of a serious problem,” says Hollingsworth.
“Your first point of call should be with the retailer who sold you the product,” he adds.
Hollingsworth further explains that while every situation and product is different, the retailer should be able to access whether it can be fixed or not.
“They should then be able to let you know what your options are, for instance receiving a replacement product or a refund. Knowing your consumer rights and what a business is obliged to do under the CGA can make things easier for everyone,” he says.
“In the case of the Note7 phone, Samsung is offering consumers the option of a replacement phone, or a refund.
Hollingsworth adds that for those people who have a Samsung Galaxy Note7, they encourage you to get in touch with the place where the phone was purchased to take advantage of these options.
“It's important to feel empowered when buying products or services. The Consumer Protection website has information on what to know and do before, during and after purchasing a product or service,” he adds.
“It's also a good idea to sign up to receive alerts from the Product Recalls website, so you can keep informed of essential information to help stay safe.