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Returns Policy

In Victoria, computer equipment is protected under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), which is enforced locally by Consumer Affairs Victoria.

Your rights do not disappear just because a manufacturer's warranty has expired. Under the law, computer equipment must meet "automatic consumer guarantees," meaning it must be of acceptable quality, fit for purpose, and match its description.

How a return is handled depends strictly on whether the issue is a major or minor failure, or if it is simply a change of mind.

Major vs. Minor Failures

Whether you get a direct refund or a repair depends entirely on the scale of the hardware or system fault.

1. Major Failures (Your Choice: Refund or Replacement)

A failure is considered major if a reasonable consumer wouldn't have bought the computer if they had known about the problem, or if the unit is completely unsafe. Examples include:

  • The motherboard short-circuits or the laptop refuses to power on straight out of the box.

  • The computer is significantly different from the description or demonstration model you were shown (e.g., you ordered 32GB of RAM but received 8GB).

  • It is substantially unfit for its normal purpose and cannot be fixed within a reasonable timeframe.

Your Right: For a major failure, you have the right to choose between a full refund or an identical replacement. The retailer cannot force you to accept a repair or store credit.

2. Minor Failures (Retailer's Choice: Repair, Replace, or Refund)

A minor failure is a problem that can be easily fixed within a reasonable amount of time. Examples include:

  • A single faulty port (like a dead USB-A slot) while the rest of the PC works perfectly.

  • A broken internal cooling fan that can be swapped out quickly.

Your Right: The retailer can choose to provide a free repair instead of a refund. However, if they take an unreasonable amount of time or refuse to fix it, you can demand a refund or replacement, or take it elsewhere and pass the bill to the original retailer.

Important Return Rules to Keep in Mind

  • Change of Mind: Retailers are not legally required to give a refund if you simply change your mind, bought the wrong specs by mistake, or found it cheaper elsewhere. However, if the store has its own "change of mind" policy (such as major stores 30-day policy), they must legally honor it.

  • Original Packaging: You do not need the original box or packaging to return a faulty computer under consumer law, though you do need a proof of purchase (like a receipt, bank statement, or tax invoice).

  • "No Refund" Signs are Illegal: Signs that say "No refunds on sale items" or "No refunds under any circumstances" are completely unlawful in Victoria. Your ACL rights still apply to floor stock, clearance, and sale items.

  • User Data Warning: Under Victorian consumer guidelines, retailers must warn you if repairing or diagnostic testing on a device could result in the loss of user-generated data (hard drive wipes). Always back up your files before handing over a machine.

Who Covers the Return Shipping Costs?

If the computer equipment is small enough to post or drop off easily, you are responsible for returning it to the retailer initially.

If the item is confirmed to have a fault (major or minor), the retailer must reimburse you for reasonable transport or postage costs, so ensure you keep your receipts. If a desktop setup or heavy server rig is too bulky or dangerous to move due to the fault, the retailer must collect it at their own expense.