There are 13 modules in this small business program providing a broad overview of the key provisions of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 which includes the Australian Consumer Law.
You can work through all the modules or you can select the ones most relevant to your business. At the end of most modules, there is a short self-assessment quiz which you can take to test your understanding.
Please note that the 'Scams' module and modules eight to thirteen do not include quizzes but we encourage you to read through and familiarise yourself with the information.
Education modules
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Misleading conduct & advertising
Do you (or your staff) make claims to customers even though you're not 100 per cent sure they're true? Have you ever left out key information because you thought disclosing it would kill a deal? Is your competitor lying in their ads?
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Pricing & unfair selling practices
Are you thinking about offering a gift or prize to entice more customers? Do you advertise the price of your services without including the additional fees and charges? Have you received an invoice for something you didn't order?
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Consumer rights and guarantees
Has a customer asked you for a refund because they changed their mind? Has your business purchased faulty equipment? Find out your obligations when selling to consumers and your rights when buying from other businesses.
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Selling safe products
Are you sure that the products you're selling are safe? Has a product you manufactured caused a person's injury or death? Do you know how to find out if a product has been banned or recalled?
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Scams
Have you ever received an email asking you for your credit card details? Do you check invoices carefully before paying them? Find out about some of the most common scams targeting small business.
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Unfair contract terms
Have you been given a standard form contract to sign by another business? Do you give your customers standard form contracts to sign? Find out your rights and obligations if your business offers, or enters into, this type of contract.
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Unconscionable conduct
Has a large business ever done something to you that was harsh or unfair? Have you ever dealt with a customer who was clearly vulnerable and didn't understand any of the documentation you were using?
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Exclusive dealing & resale price maintenance
Do you supply goods to customers on the condition that they don't source goods from your competitors? Do your suppliers impose restrictions on who you can sell their products to or the price at which you can sell those products?
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Misuse of market power
Is a major supplier refusing to supply you with stock? Is the large retailer down the street selling their products at such low prices that you can't possibly compete with them? Find out when this conduct is illegal - and when it isn't.
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Cartels
Have you been approached by a competitor who wants to fix prices? Have you ever let your competitor win a tender on the condition that you win the next one? Do you think your suppliers have some sort of arrangement?
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Concerted practices
Are you aware of businesses exchanging competitively sensitive information? Do you know of competitors behaving in a cooperative manner? Have you been asked to provide information on your pricing or strategic business plans to a third party?
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Collective bargaining & boycott
Small businesses, including agribusinesses, can sometimes be better off negotiating with their customers or suppliers as a group (referred to as collective bargaining). Working together, you might be able to negotiate better terms and conditions with larger businesses, and create efficiencies, that you could not achieve on your own.
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Country of origin labelling
Does your business make claims about the origin of your products? Find out how the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) regulates country of origin claims.