Issue Date:  -  Tuesday, 25 July 2000

Suspect speaker sellers charged

The Ministry of Fair Trading has charged a director and his company, selling 'bargain' audio speakers on Perth streets, with breaches of the Door-to-Door Trading Act.

Nanolab Pty Ltd, trading as Professional Sound Distributors from a Hillary's address, has been approaching Perth people since April this year.

Two credible looking men in a white van have been catching people unawares by approaching them at their place of business or on the street.

The men are claiming the speakers are American and worth $1800 a pair, but are selling them for $600 or more. An independent expert has priced them at $100 to $200 a pair to make and has said they are unlikely to be made with American parts.

Various stories have been used to sell the speakers including the company is overstocked, the speaker model is discontinued or the distributor sent too many.

In some cases the men hint that the deals are not above board, so people who purchase them feel involved in the dishonesty and therefore feel less inclined to report the incidence to the authorities.

A total of 15 charges were laid against the company and the Director, Gary Philip Anderson of on the 18th July 2000.

The charges involve three complainants and five breaches of the Door-to-Door Trading Act:

failing to give proper notice of the 10 day cooling off period; failing to give a form used to cancel a door-to-door contract; taking money during the cooling off period; the contract failing to state there is a cooling off period; failing to show identification.

A summons has been issued to Mr Anderson to appear in the Court of Petty Sessions on the 11th September 2000.

Consumers who have been affected are advised to ring the Ministry of Fair Trading’s Call Centre on 1300 30 40 54, which is the cost of a local call anywhere in WA, for help or send an email to consumer@docep.wa.gov.au.

Media inquiries:

Hayley Mayne
Tel: (08) 9282 0961
Mobile: 0409 118 982