Bing Lee has written to customers offering full refunds to those who bought 3D TV sets outside the areas in the AFL and NRL grand final 3D trial broadcast zones after Bing Lee advertised the TVs for this purpose in areas that couldn’t receive the signal.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission raised concerns with a number of retailers after the Australian Communications and Media Authority alerted it to advertisements by Bing Lee and other retailers.
“The ACCC is on alert when it comes to representations made by retailers of new and emerging technologies like 3D television,” ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel said.
Bing Lee caught the eye of the ACCC with its advertisements for 3D TVs in the lead up to the football grand finals, with the ACCC concerned the ads would mislead customers.
“The ACCC is pleased with the cooperative and proactive response that Bing Lee has taken to correct its conduct,” Mr Samuel said.
“As soon as the ACCC raised the issue with Bing Lee, it took swift action to address the ACCC’s concerns. Bing Lee immediately wrote to all customers who had recently bought a 3D TV but who live outside the broadcast area and offered them a full refund,” Mr Samuel said.
Bing Lee has also briefed its sales staff and posted notices in its stores about the limitations of the trial 3D broadcasts. It has also published corrective notices in all newspapers where its advertisements were published, acknowledging the ACCC’s concerns and apologising for any confusion caused to its customers.
