Unit VI. Consumer Rights

VII. Work in pairs. The following is a telephone conversation between a client and wholesaler. Memorize the dialogue and make up similar ones.

- Sundel, Electrotech Sales Manager. Can I help you?

- Good afternoon, Mr Sandel. This is Mr Hart from Santina Hotel speaking. Have you got any refrigerators IPD Model 245?

- Yes, we have, but we have had a lot of orders for this model.

- What is the price of a unit?

- Its retail price is $460 per unit.

- What is the discount for a lot of 100 units?

- Usually we give a 5% discount.

- Is there is a discount if I pay in cash?

- I am not sure. I should consult with our Financial Manager.

- How long will the delivery take?

- About a month.

VIII. Complete the sentences, using the given words:

order discount vending machine wholesalers

guarantees a retailer (2) extending credit take title

link channels receive commissions

stock middleman assortment

1. … is one function a retailer may perform.

2. You can buy newspapers, cigarettes, cookies from a ….

3. … is the most expensive link in the chain between a producer and a consumer.

4. The firm … good quality of the producer.

5. She doesn’t like to go shopping, she prefers to do it by ….

6. The department store is having a sale and there is a 20 per cent ….

7. Wholesaler is an important … between a producer and customer.

8. They use both direct and indirect … of distribution.

9. Agent middlemen do not … to the goods they deal in.

10. Usually wholesaling … stands between the producer and the retailer.

11. A supermarket may … thousands of commission items.

12. Usually a wholesaler handles a large … of items of numerous manufacturers.

13. Agent middlemen don’t earn salaries, they …

14. A wholesaler doesn’t deal with the customers, he deals with ….

15. … simplify the problems of manufacturers.

I. Learn the following words:

· civil and administrative legislation громадянське і адміністративне

законодавство

· claimant позивач (у суді)

· conformity відповідність, узгодженість

· consumer movement рух на захист споживачів

· consumption споживання

· court practice судова практика

· fine штраф

· fraud підробка, шахрайство

· inferior quality низька, сумнівна якість

· infringe порушувати (закон, права)

· valid діючий

· violate порушувати права споживача

II. Read and translate the text:

A consumer is a person who buys and uses goods or services to satisfy his or her needs (things that are necessary for survival, such as food, clothing) and wants (things which are not necessary for survival, but which add pleasure and comfort to our lives). We all are consumers. We buy products and services every day. We buy snacks, clothing, books, pay bills, etc. As consumers we are very important to businesses and the economy. The buying decisions we make can lead to either success or failure of many businesses. Consumer’s wants and needs guide business practices. As a result, businesses expand great efforts to attract and please consumers.

However, the rather pleasant relationship that is enjoyed by businesses and consumers now was not always so. Consumers were often cheated in many ways and there was nowhere to complain about the offending business. It was not until the middle of the 20^th century that consumer movements to fight against unfair business practice started in America. In 1962 Consumer Bill of Rights was presented to Congress. Later on two more rights were added to original four. They declared that every customer had the following rights:

- the right to be informed – to be given the correct information needed to make a choice;

- the right to safety – to be protected from harmful goods and services;

- the right to choose – to be assured of the availability of goods and services at competitive prices;

- the right to be heard – to be assured that consumer interests will be fully considered by government when laws are being developed and enforced;

- the right to a remedy (відшкодування) – the assurance of the right to legal correction of wrongs committed against consumers;

- the right to a consumer education – to learn about consumer rights and responsibilities as economic citizens.

These rights underlie many other countries’ consumer rights protection policies, Ukraine included, where there are eight following rights, basically covering the same points. In Ukraine every consumer has the rights:

- to state protection in case their consumer rights being violated;

- to guaranteed level of consumption;

- to the proper quality of goods and services;

- to safety of goods and services;

- to be given the true information about the goods and services, their quality, quantity, variety and the manufacturer;

- to a remedy of legal correction of wrongs committed to consumers through goods and services;

- to be heard in the court in case your consumer rights being violated;

- to unite into consumer unions.

III. Answer the questions:

1. Do you know your consumer rights? What are they?

2. Which of the consumer rights did you exercise yesterday?

3. Give at least three examples of consumer fraud.

4. What responsibilities do you believe we, as consumers, should perform?

5. What is usually the best way to solve a consumer problem?

IV. Read and dramatize the dialogues:

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