Don’t get ripped off on Black Friday sales with our tips on consumer rights — plus find out how to win £5,000 with Sun Savers
PRICES will be slashed on Black Friday – but your consumer rights won’t get the chop too.
The Consumer Rights Act, which came into force in 2015, offers protection for shoppers taking up cut-price deals in store or online.
In the first of this week’s Black Friday specials every day in Sun Savers, consumer champs Which? show you how to handle a dud deal.
- A faulty deal: If there is a problem with a product, go to the retailer first rather than use a warranty. There are strict rules under the Consumer Rights Act that retailers must follow. But act quickly as you only have 30 days to reject something faulty and get your money back. After 30 days, the retailer has the option of repairing or replacing the item.
- Unwanted purchases: Bought too much at the shops? You can only return non-faulty goods for an exchange or refund to a high street store if it has a returns policy. Most retailers’ policies state time limits for returning non-faulty products, often 28 days. But sometimes they extend this period, particularly at Christmas.
Bought online? Then you have additional rights under the Consumer Contracts Regulations. These give you 14 days from when the goods were delivered to return the product for a full refund, even if the item is not faulty. - Digital content that doesn’t work: Anything you download or stream is now covered by the Consumer Rights Act. The retailer has one opportunity to repair or replace goods or content that are of unsatisfactory quality, unfit for purpose or not as described, before you can demand a refund. But these rights only tend to apply to content you pay for, not free stuff.
- Problems with a delivery: It’s always the retailer’s responsibility to deliver your goods. If your parcel doesn’t turn up on time, goes missing, arrives damaged or is stolen from your doorstep, the retailer needs to rectify the situation.
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Do not be a victim
BLACK FRIDAY isn’t just about bargains for you – thieves can cash in too. Whether you’re shopping online or on the high street, criminals rely on you being totally focused on shopping. Here’s how to stay safe.
ONLINE - Never click a link on a search engine as it could be a copycat site set up by conmen. If in doubt, search the name of the site to see if there are reviews and how long it’s been operating. If in doubt, don’t click.