Microsoft and the Australian Consumer Law

The information on this page applies to products and services supplied by Microsoft to consumers within the meaning of the Australian Consumer Law. It also applies to Microsoft products supplied by third parties to such consumers. For Microsoft products and services:

Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure and compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage. You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure.

Australian Consumer Law rights are additional to Microsoft's express warranties

Your Microsoft product or service may also come with a limited express warranty. If applicable, the details of the limited express warranty will be available to you at the point of purchase, and may be in the packaging or online. This limited express warranty is in addition to any rights you may have under the Australian Consumer Law.

In some cases, Microsoft offers optional extended service plans. These extended service plans are provided in addition to any rights you may have under the Australian Consumer Law and have their own sets of terms and conditions.

Non–Microsoft branded products purchased from Microsoft may also come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law and may also be covered by the manufacturer's express warranty.

Making a claim

Should your product or service be defective, you can choose to make a claim under Australian Consumer Law, the limited express warranty or the optional extended service plans (whichever is applicable). It is your choice whether you contact the supplier of the product or service (which may be Microsoft), or Microsoft as the manufacturer of the product.

To contact Microsoft about a defective product, please call 13 20 58. If you would like to leave feedback, please do so at the following page: http://approjects.co.za/?big=en-au/microsoftfeedback/. For all other support, please visit https://support.microsoft.com/en-au.

Rights under the Australian Consumer Law

The following table outlines the principal consumer rights under the consumer guarantee provisions of the Australian Consumer Law. It is not a complete summary of the law and is not intended as a substitute for legal advice relevant to your particular situation.

Rights under the Australian Consumer Law

Australian Consumer Law	Summary
Repair, refund or replacement	When the product or service is not of acceptable quality (e.g. it has a manufacturing defect or is unsafe), your remedy will depend on whether the failure is major or minor. For minor failures, the supplier can elect to repair, replace or refund or, in the case of services, resupply. For major product failures, the consumer can return the product to the supplier and insist on a refund or replacement, or keep the product and ask for compensation for the drop in value caused by the problem. When there is a major failure with a service, the consumer can choose to cancel the contract and pay a reasonable amount for the service provided, or seek a refund for money already paid or keep the contract and negotiate a reduced price for the drop in value of the service – this may mean asking for some money back.
When is a product failure a major failure	You would not have purchased the product if you had known about the problem. The product is significantly different from the description, sample or demonstration model you were shown. The product is substantially unfit for its normal purpose and cannot easily be made fit within a reasonable time. The product is substantially unfit for a purpose that you told the supplier about, and cannot easily be made fit within a reasonable time. The product is unsafe. When there are multiple minor problems with the product and you would not have purchased the product if you had known the nature and extent of the problems, taken as a whole.
When is a service failure a major failure	You would not have engaged the service if you had known the nature and extent of the problem. The service does not meet the reasonable expectations for that type of service, and the problem cannot be rectified within a reasonable time. You told the supplier that you wanted the service for a specific purpose, which was not fulfilled, and the problem could not be easily rectified within a reasonable time. You told the supplier that you wanted a specific result, yet the service and end result failed to meet your specifications and could not be easily rectified within a reasonable time. The supply of the service has created an unsafe situation. When there are multiple minor problems with the service and you would not have engaged the service if you had known the nature and extent of the problems, taken as a whole.
How long do your rights last	A reasonable period from date of purchase, which will depend on the nature and cost of the product or service.
Do I have to pay for this coverage	There is no additional cost for repairs, replacement or refunds.
Can Microsoft limit its obligations or restrict your rights under the Australian Consumer Law	No, unless the product or service you purchase is not of a kind ordinarily acquired for personal, domestic or household use, in which case Microsoft can limit your remedy by excluding refunds.

For more information on your rights under the consumer guarantee provisions of the Australian Consumer Law, please visit https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights-guarantees/consumer-guarantees.