Glossary

A consumer is the end user of the product.

A consumer may be an individual person. Subject to particular conditions, a consumer can also be a business that is using the product sold by another business.

A consumer good is a product intended to be used, or a kind of product likely to be used, by a consumer for personal, domestic, or household use or consumption. This includes gifts and promotional material.

Examples of consumer goods are household bookshelves, kids' toys, baby bath aids and home exercise equipment.

Consumer good is another term used for consumer product.

An automatic right given to consumers that businesses must meet when they sell a product or service. If a business does not meet a consumer guarantee, it must offer the consumer a remedy.

Consumer guarantees are different to extra promises a business might offer, which are called warranties.

Find out more about Consumer rights and guarantees on the ACCC website.

A consumer product is a product intended to be used, or a kind of product likely to be used, by a consumer for personal, domestic, or household use or consumption. This includes gifts and promotional material.

Examples of consumer products are household bookshelves, kids' toys, baby bath aids and home exercise equipment.

Consumer product is another term used for consumer good.

Foreseeable misuse refers to using consumer products or product-related services in a way not intended, or in a wrong or improper way, but where the use is predictable or not far-fetched or fanciful in the circumstances.

A pecuniary penalty is an order made by a court requiring an individual or corporation to pay a monetary penalty for a breach.

For more information, see fines and penalties.

A precedent is an earlier decision or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances. The courts rely on precedents to guide them in cases they’re deciding where actions or circumstances are similar.

For example, a court might use an earlier case to decide if something is reasonable.

A service for the installation, maintenance, repair, cleaning, assembly or delivery of consumer goods of a particular kind.

Examples are the installation of a smart device or assembly of a household bookshelf.

What most people would think is fair in the circumstances.

If a court is deciding whether something is reasonable, it may use precedents. These are previous legal cases that have decided something similar.

Represents judgement on how a reasonable member of the community should behave in particular situations, by a combination of the relevant community.

Regulations are explicit rules or laws, developed to govern and manage behaviour.

Non-compliance of regulations may result in enforcement action. This includes court-imposed penalties. 

Regulators are appointed by the government to enforce regulations.

Regulators are established or appointed by the government. They:

• enforce regulations and rules
• may intervene where there is some kind of harm.

A regulator may be a person or organisation.

The ACCC is a regulator, enforcing the rules that promote competition and protect the rights of consumers.

A solution that a business must give a consumer when a consumer guarantee for a product or service is not met.

The solution is usually a repair, replacement or refund, depending on the circumstances. Sometimes it includes compensation for damages and loss.

Use refers to using consumer products for their primary, normal or intended purpose.

A promise made by a business to a consumer when selling a product or service. Once the consumer buys a product or service, the warranty is a legal right.

Warranties are made in addition to the basic rights a consumer has through consumer guarantees.

Find out more about Warranties on the ACCC website.