A fair deal beats a raw deal, every time

24 April 2026

The Australian Consumer Law has your back to make sure you’re protected when making purchases from a business. This means: no misleading claims, no unfair contracts, and tight rules around sales approaches.

Know your rights and call it out if a business isn’t fair and transparent in its dealings with you.

Misleading Conduct

Promotions that deceive or mislead consumers aren’t just unfair - they’re unlawful. Sometimes businesses deliberately mislead to generate more sales, and sometimes their messaging is misleading because they’ve misunderstood the rules. You also may have heard about customer service chatbots going rogue and making statements beyond what the business intended. The Australian Consumer Law is very clear about this. It doesn’t matter whether the business intended to mislead, it’s what the business (or its technology) says and does that matters.

For example, a business would be misleading if it:

  • posts fake testimonials on its website
  • falsely claims its products are up to a certain standard
  • promotes a special sale price, but the discount isn’t genuine
  • falsely claims its products are ‘made in Australia’
  • suddenly raises its prices and gives a false reason for the price spike.

If you think a business has acted in a misleading way or made false statements, please call one of our Fair Trading Officers on 1800 019 319.

Unfair contract terms

Many businesses use standard form contracts which are offered on a ‘take it or leave it’ basis. In these situations, there’s little opportunity for you to negotiate the terms – e.g. gym memberships or subscriptions to video/audio services. The Australian Consumer Law protects you from unfair contract terms, and businesses that use them can face substantial penalties.

A term is unfair if, for example:

  • the business can change a major term without your agreement, and you can’t change or cancel the contract
  • the business can decide if you’ve breached the contract and charge you a penalty, but you can’t sue the business if it breaks the contract or causes you harm
  • at the end of a free trial, you’re locked into a year‑long subscription and charged right away – with no warning and no way to cancel.

You don’t have to comply with an unfair contract term so raise the issue directly with the business. If the problem isn’t resolved, contact NT Consumer Affairs for advice about your rights.

When a salesperson approaches you

An unsolicited approach is when a salesperson contacts you unexpectedly - by phone, at your door, or in a public place. There are rules about when and how salespeople can do this.

If you agree to buy, you’re not locked in straight away. You get a 10-business day cooling‑off period, which gives you time to reconsider, compare offers from other suppliers, and cancel the agreement without penalty.

The seller must give you a written contract that explains your cooling‑off rights. If the sale happens in person, you should get this contract on the spot. If it’s done over the phone, it must be sent to you straight away.

If something doesn’t seem right or the rules haven’t been followed, you may have rights and options, so it’s worth getting advice.

Remember, you don’t have to say yes, especially if you feel unsure or uncomfortable. Take time to research the seller independently and compare other offers. As a general rule, if a deal sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Know your rights

If you’re concerned a business hasn’t done the right thing by you, and you’ve raised the matter directly with staff but didn’t get a satisfactory response, contact NT Consumer Affairs on 1800 019 319 or cosnumer@nt.gov.au for advice about your rights and what further action can be taken.