ACCC should look at big gift promotions by Dick Smith and other stores

Across Australia, Dick Smith is currently promoting the win of a lifetime - to the "edge of Space" in a Russian MIG-31 fighter jet.

To be eligible for the draw, you must purchase a computer featuring an Intel Core 15 or Intel Core 17 processor with Turbo Boost.

What they don't tell you is the chance you have of winning.

Dick Smith would have a pretty good idea of how many of these computers they will sell during the promotion period.

Do customers have a 1 in 1000, 1 in 50,000 or even worse, 1 in 100,000 of winning?

Many people would buy the computer to win the prize, not realising their statistical chance of winning is somewhere between Buckleys and bugger all.

If stores induce customers to buy up big
with the inducement of a crackerjack prize such as a trip to the edge of Space, then they have the obligation to make it as clear as possible what the projected odds of winning are.

Anything else is totally deceptive and could easily mislead consumers into thinking their chances of winning are higher than they are and then parting with their hard-earned cash - which is exactly what the Electronic Dick wants them to do.

But don't hold your breath waiting for the ACCC to act - they are as useless as an Appeal Court in China.