Pricing & purchasing

The price that was advertised didn't include all the taxes and I think I was misled! The shop sold out of all of the sale items on the day the sale started—is this bait advertising? They told me the jacket was on sale, but I found out later they never sold it for a higher price! Find out more about misleading pricing and what you can do if you think you have been misled.

When you buy a product or service, traders are required to provide clear and accurate pricing information.

Unit pricing means displaying the price of grocery items for a certain unit of measurement in addition to the items’ selling price. This makes it easy for you to compare the price and value of similar types of products when shopping for groceries.

Cash-backs are offers by businesses to refund some of your money or provide bonus products, often after you purchase goods. Before you buy goods that involve a cash-back offer, make sure you understand all of the steps you need to take to get your money back or claim the bonus item or you could miss out.

A 'lay-by' arrangement can be a convenient way to pay for your purchases over a period of time rather than upfront. Each lay-by agreement is different, so check that you understand what you are agreeing to before you make your purchase.

Promotions such as 'buy now, pay later' or 'interest free' are popular and may help you to make a purchase you might not have otherwise been able to afford. Before you take up one of these offers, make sure you are aware of all your rights and obligations so you don't get a surprise later on.

Discount voucher schemes, including shopper dockets, may give you the opportunity to purchase goods and services from participating businesses at a discounted cost or with some other benefit. Before you purchase or use a discount voucher, you should carefully read the terms and conditions of the offer.

The ACCC monitors the prices of fuel including petrol, diesel and LPG in Australia's capital cities and over 100 country towns.

The report of the ACCC’s public inquiry on the competitiveness of retail prices for standard groceries was published on 5 August 2008