Buying Digital Technology
There are many ways in which you can buy technology products: from a shop, through the pages of a magazine or newspaper, over the Internet, or from an online auction. All these routes have their own benefits, and their own disadvantages. It can be difficult to decide who to buy from, but you may be assured that whatever supplier you select, if they are a Member of the Technology Channels Association (TCA), then they are bound by an industry Code of Practice which determines how they must treat you. They can be identified by the Technology Confidence Assured logo.
As time has gone on, technology has become more powerful, whether it is information technology, telecommunications, personal entertainment products, or the local, national and international connectivity that links it all. As well as being more powerful, technology is now cheaper than ever before. More and more of us are placing increased reliance upon digital technology in our daily lives – one result is that if things go wrong then there is potentially a greater impact upon us. So be careful in your buying decisions, prudent in your use of technology, and always remember to regularly back up your data!
What is the TCA?
The Technology Channels Association is a trade association of companies, both big and small, that are active in the world of digital technology. Our founder association, the Professional Computing Association (TCA) started out in 1993, and in 2009 it was joined by the Mac Technology Association to become the TCA. Joint turnover of our members is over £50 billion. Whilst some of our Members are trade-only manufacturers and wholesalers, the majority sell direct to users and are thus "retailers" or “resellers”.
From now on in this document, when we refer to "Members", we mean those TCA Members who are dealers, resellers or direct sellers and who therefore come under the provisions of this Code. This Code does not apply to transactions made within the supply chain – it only applies to sales between a retailer and an end-user, whether business or consumer. Business purchases are not covered by all of the legislation that applies to consumer contracts; supply contracts are mostly relevant in Business to Business dealings
The association recognises that quality of product and service is not necessarily related to the amount of business that a company does and that “local” suppliers can often provide a more personal level of service than international organisations – however those large organisations may sometimes be able to offer lower initial purchase prices. We strongly recommend that purchasers consider total cost of ownership – including service, guarantees and support as well as initial cost – before selecting their supplier. If you believe that paying for an extended warranty is a good thing, the TCA suggests that a warranty covered by third party insurance be considered.
Why a Code of Practice?
Members agree to operate within this Code of Practice, which was originally prepared following consultation with such bodies as the Office of Fair Trading and the Trading Standards organisation. It details the minimum levels of service you'll get from a decent supplier and highlights some of the extra benefits you get when you buy from a TCA Member. Members aren't limited to the levels of service outlined in the Code where to go further would result in higher levels of customer satisfaction. The Code has been reviewed from time to time and will continue to be so; a major revision was made in 2005 to cover changes in the law, in market conditions and consumer need, and it was further updated and strengthened on 2009 on the formation of the TCA.
Supporting the Code of Practice
Members should display the Technology Confidence Assured logo in their advertising and on their correspondence. If the company is not a current Member of the association they cannot make use of the association's logo nor can they infer by any means that they are a part of the association. Members should ensure their staff is aware of their support of the Code and should make a copy of the Code available to them, ensuring that they understand the Code and its implications. The Code may be downloaded from the TCA website at www.tcauk.org
OFT Codes Approval Scheme
The Office of Fair Trade launched an approval scheme for Codes of Practice in 2005. The TCA decided not to apply for approval for the following reasons: the amount of administrative overhead required in order to apply for approval would be disproportionate to the benefit gained for the TCA’s members and their customers; it was not appropriate to a fast changing industry characterised by small traders; the OFT Codes Scheme is focused on consumers, whereas the TCA’s Code can be applied to business purchasers as well. Having operated a Code for 15 years, the TCA’s commitment to running an effective Code of Practice cannot be doubted.
Are you a consumer or a business?
We have tried to make the elements of this Code applicable, as far as possible, to business buyers as well as to personal purchasers (“consumers”). However the law defines and treats those two types of buyer in different ways and the solutions available to you under the law vary. The generally accepted definition is that if you buy something and make use of it in the course of business, you are a business user (as regards that product).