A Consumer’s Right

As a consumer, we all expect to get the correct measure of whatever we are buying by paying money. If there were no control over this, there are chances that a lot of consumers will be cheated. Many years ago people used to check the weighing balance thoroughly to ensure that the shopkeepers are not cheating them by using false balances. There are many ways followed by the shopkeepers to cheat the consumers in the measurements of the products they buy. One of the tricks is to stick some magnets to the balance so that the actual quantity of the product will be less by few grams. Similarly extra metal pieces are welded to the measuring cups which are used to sell liquids like oil. They even add small pieces of stones, especially in cereals to increase their weight while measuring. But now a days, these practices have reduced a lot after the government started implementing the laws regarding this. Even then these malpractices still exists but not as much as it used to be.
The right of a consumer to get the correct weights and measures is protected through the Weights and Measures Act, 1976. It defines different units to measure different products. No other units should be used for measuring the consumer products. For example, the standard measure for length is metre. This ensures that one shop should not sell a cloth by specifying its measurement in feet. The price of the cloth should also be specified according to this measurement. This allows the consumers to compare prices of different materials and also from different shops. A Weights and Measures License should be with every shop. This is issued after testing and validating the measuring instruments used in that shop.
This act is also applicable to the sales of packaged commodities. According to this act, every packet of item should have information like product name, manufacturing date, expiry date, address of the manufacturer and MRP. The packet should also contain the contact details in case there is any consumer complaint regarding that product. And it is also the responsibility of the manufacturer to respond to these complaints. If it does not happen, the consumers can take legal action.
As a smart consumer, one should ensure that he gets the right quality of the item as mentioned in the packet or as promised by the retailer. A consumer has the right to check a measuring instrument in case he is not satisfied with the measurement or he suspects that he is cheated. He can confirm the measurement by checking it using authorized measuring instruments. The consumers should definitely check the label on the package as this information is given for their benefit only. They should check the manufacturing and expiry dates thoroughly. If they find any flaws with any product or retailer, it is their responsibility to give a complaint to the consumer forum. By doing this there is a big chance that such malpractices are reduced and you can save a lot of other consumers from being cheated.

Shopping Angels – A New Experience to Consumers

Now the consumers do not need to worry about shopping in a metro city which is completely a new place to them. Shopping angels are there to help them. A shopping angel is an agent who can guide you in shopping. They know about the availability of different products, the places where they are available and the price levels. Shopping angels is the latest trend in customer support and is launched by Blue Foot Cultural Consultancy in Bangalore. There are almost hundred shopping angels working either full time or part time in this consultancy who are helping the consumers in shopping. Actually these shopping angels are having close association with most of the malls and shops where they are having a discount for the products. They are charging around 750 to 1500 rupees per day for their assignments at Bangalore and around 4500 rupees for other cities. These shopping angels are familiar with the nook and corner of the city. They will guide you to the locations where you can find your requirements like saris, bags, sandals, electronic items and so on. There are fashion designers, engineers, architects and artists among these shopping angels. If you want to buy oil paintings, the consultancy will arrange an artist to assist you in your shopping. Or if you want to buy saris or kurthis or accessories, you can get the help of a fashion designer.
I met a shopping angel when I was shopping at the Forum mall in Bangalore. She was assisting a family in shopping costumes and accessories for the marriage of their daughter. Initially I thought that the shopping angel is a customer care person of the shop as she was guiding them and at same time interacting with the sales executives at counters. I just asked the angel whether she is from some event management company as shopping angels are a new concept to me. She spent two minutes with me to explain about them. At the end of their shopping, I asked that family about their experience in shopping under the guidance of a shopping expert. They told me that they got a discount of 25000 rupees for their total purchase of 2 lakh rupees. That family told that it is the fourth time they are coming to Bangalore for shopping and by listening to the bluffing of hotel receptionists and taxi drivers, they have wasted a lot of money and time. But by spending around 1200 rupees for that angel, they could complete their shopping within one day and saved a lot as they got better discounts for their purchases. These angels know exactly all the shopping locations where you get items at reasonable rate, whether it is antique items, leather items, interior decoration items etc and are well known about the easiest and less traffic roads to such locations which will help you save a lot of time. After hearing their experience, I decided that if I am going to shop for more than 30000 rupees, definitely I will take the assistance of a shopping angel.

Out of reach of consumers

In the past one year the cost of vegetables and other grocery items increased drastically and it is quiet surprising that the common man is adjusting his belly and not resisting the hikes. The cost of vegetables like beans, potatoes, onion etc have risen to such an extent that some middle class families started consuming non vegetarian food regularly as it is a cheaper option. Middle class families have now started to rethink their daily menus. We can see a crowd now a days in the department stores and other government outlets where prices are comparatively lower. The high prices are especially affecting lower middle class families having fixed monthly income. The price hike made families to stick to one vegetable along with food while earlier they were able to consume multiple dishes. I still remember my earlier days at Chennai when the prices of vegetables were less. If I am buying vegetables for 100 rupees, I get enough quantity and it was sufficient for our 3-member family for a couple of weeks. Now a days, 250 rupees is not enough to purchase vegetables for a week. Earlier cereals were very common in our menus, which has become a rare item for us now due to the price hike.
The one major reason which caused the price hike is the heavy rain that happened few months back which has badly affected the crops. But even after the end of rainy season merchants are selling the commodities at a higher rate for their additional benefit even though the farmers are getting a nominal price for their products. The increased transportation charges due to hike in fuel price has also lead to the increase in the cost of consumables. But unfortunately the government has not done any sincere attempts to control the price hike. Even though the government has now started importing vegetables from other countries, the price hike is not under control. Consumers in a state like Kerala which is totally depended on other states for the agricultural products, are severely affected due to the short supply and hence the price hike. There is only one way to control the prices of these commodities. This is by developing new agricultural method and better productivity seeds. Also the consumers can start cultivating vegetables and fruits required for their daily use in their house itself. This does’t requires a huge land area and even it can be done on the terrace or in the available land. The best example is the Union Minister of State for Agriculture Mr. K. V. Thomas who has cultivated lot of vegetables in his official residence and distributed it among his colleagues and even to the Prime Minister. Most of the agricultural research centres are actively behind developing improved seeds, latest cultivation techniques and machineries. In earlier period cultivation was totally depended on manpower and involved a huge labour, but now a days you can see only few people working with the aid of latest technology and making the harvest in a huge area. There is no doubt that there should be a green revolution in order to see all these costlier vegetables in the kitchen of a common man.

A Comfortable Sleep for Consumers

Even though a product like mattress is very common and an unavoidable material in your daily life, there are many factors that should be considered while purchasing it. In fact it should always be kept in mind that a sound sleep is one of the most important things needed for a healthy life. And for sound sleep the comfort is the most important factor. Thus when you are looking for a comfortable and relaxing sleep, it is necessary to have a good mattress. You should always remember that sleeping on a bad quality mattress can even lead to chronic back_ ache.

Though there are lots of retail stores that can sell quality mattresses of different brands, your choice should always be made according to the comfort you need. One of the most important consideration to be made while buying mattresses is the adjustability and the prefect size of the mattress. To have a better understanding of the comfort and adjustment level of the mattress you need to check the side support quality of the items that you have selected. The side support is the thrust of the mattress on the body. It is important because this provides support for the spine and helps the body to maintain comfortable posture while sleeping. In this respect it is essential to note that though the side support can be checked at the shop itself. It is always better to go for a trial to understand the desired side support level.

In case of most good quality mattresses, cotton or damask blended fabrics are used in order to allow good air circulation. This keeps the internal temperature of the mattress normal, and it increases the comfort level of the users. For a standard mattress, the coil spring is one of the important support features that should be noted. In case of a standard mattress the coil spring count is 300 and in case of a king size mattress it is 450. Also in case of a queen size mattress the coil count is 375. Thus it is also a better choice to purchase a mattress with standard equivalent or better than these coil counts for the good life of the mattress and it is also good for the health of the consumers. Other than this, the importance of the price of the mattress is also an important thing. In fact the point is that you should always take care of your budget and choose your mattresses according to your needs. Other than that, there are also some other things that should be kept in mind for the proper choice of the mattresses for a better and comfortable sleep. We had purchased a double coat mattress 8 years back from Coirfed, which is one of the reputed manufacturer of mattresses. They use coir fabrics for better cushioning and we found that it is far better than other brands as it gives a sound sleep and it is comparatively cheaper. Over this period the cushioning effect has not changed. I suggest that everybody should go for such branded products for a healthier life.

An Additional Consumer Panel Bench for Tamil Nadu

The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) has decided to have a circuit bench in Madurai and an additional bench in Chennai. This is done to dispose the cases within 90 days as given in the Consumer Protection Act (1987). This is really good for the people of Tamil Nadu. The government is taking consumer issues seriously and is expanding the bench so as to solve the cases quickly.

According to the sources, the state government has issued an order to approve the appointing of two judicial members to the SCRDC. The process of appointment has commenced already. The additional bench in Chennai and the circuit bench in Madurai will be up and running in a month’s time. The sources said that the government is yet to approve appropriate infrastructure for the circuit bench that is being constructed in Madurai. They are yet to decide whether they want to use one or two floors for the hearings.

The circuit bench in Madurai is a permanent feature but the manner of its functionality is yet to be decided. They are deciding on whether they should make it a branch of SCDRC and receive application for day-to-day hearings or have scheduled sittings. The two new judicial members can be in charge of the additional bench in Chennai and also the circuit bench in Madurai. More than 2800 cases are pending and nearly 1200 are from the southern districts.
Consumers are eager for the additional benches as it will lead to speedy disposal of cases and the consumers can save a lot of time and money. There is a common thinking among the consumers that getting justice from consumer court is a long and a tough process. They feel that they will spend a lot of money and energy for no reason. No justice can ever be gained by this. But the steps taken by the state government will be widely appreciated. Consumers know that they are not neglected by the government anymore.

I personally feel that it is good that the government is taking various steps. But appealing to the court alone does not guarantee any justice. People need to fight for it and they rarely win the cases because the company wins as they have the money power to hire good lawyers. The only way for the consumers to be protected is by being informed. Consumers should know where they will get a fair deal and where they will provide good quality products. Prevention is better than cure. So consumers should not be given an option to be cheated. So I request the consumers to be informed. There are a lot of consumer protection websites which provides online information about the various products that are available in the market.