By Jasmine Birtles, financial expert from Moneymagpie.com
- Consumer tips, rights and advice
- Check which would be your best energy provider
- See the best savings rates
The sales are on again as the shops get ever more desperate to sell. But do you know your rights when you buy goods from shops during the sale or outside of the sale? Here are some points that every consumer should know when they're shopping:
Returning items
Shops are legally required to take back goods that were faulty or damaged before you bought them. So if you take something home and discover it's broken, the retailer must refund you.
If you want to return an item because you no longer like or need it - or it doesn't fit - the retailer has no legal obligation to take it back or refund you.
However, many retailers have returns policies - generally with a time limit - which allow customers to take items back and get refunds, exchanges or credit notes/vouchers. See below for retailers with generous returns policies.
Buying online
Providing you are buying from a UK-based company, you have exactly the same rights as a high street shopper.
In fact, online shoppers have an extra right - if you buy anything onlin or from a catalogue, you have a cooling-off period of seven working days from the day of delivery. During this time you have every right to change your mind and ask for a refund - even if there's nothing wrong with what you've just bought.
You can change your order for any reason during those seven days. Just bear in mind that you still need proof of purchase - and if the item was a gift, you need to know the date that the buyer received the item.
You are also entitled to a full refund if your order doesn't arrive by the date agreed. If you didn't agree on a date, you're entitled to a refund if the goods don't arrive within 30 days.
Relevant legislation
Sale of Goods Act 1979. Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982. Sale and Supply of Goods Act 1994. The Sale and Supply of Goods to Consumers Regulations 2002.
A closer look - what you need to know
1. Anything you buy must 'conform to contract'
This means that they must be:
• As described
• Fit for purpose
• Of satisfactory quality
'As described' means that the product should meet the purpose of its design and match the description given by the retailer.
'Satisfactory quality' refers to both minor defects like scratches and larger problems like broken parts. It also covers the durability of any product i.e. how long you might reasonably expect something to last.
This is a fairly murky part of the act - and as such there is no steadfast rule about how long any particular item should last. However, use your common sense. A pair of shoes may reasonably have a life span of around six months - but an iron should last for at least 12 months.
'Fit for purpose' means that the item must be able to perform its function correctly - i.e. an iron needs to be able to iron out creases.
It also needs to meet any extra functions that the retailer brings to your attention. For example, if a jacket is described as beige 100% cotton it must be exactly that, or the retailer has broken its contract.
2. Who you need to complain to
If you buy something that doesn't 'conform to contract' the seller is responsible, NOT the manufacturer.
So - you must complain to the retailer when you discover any problem with goods. Don't let them fob you off by saying that you need to go to the manufacturers.
3. You need to be quick
You can demand your money back within a 'reasonable time'. This hasn't actually been defined, but cover yourself by checking anything you buy as soon as you get it home.
Complain to the retailer immediately if there are any faults.
If you miss the boat for a full refund (rarely more than 28 days after purchase) some retailers will offer credit notes, or replacements.
4. Who needs proof?
Within the first six months, a store still has to repair or replace the goods without charge, or offer a partial refund. You don't need to prove that the item was faulty when you got it.
After six months the onus is on you - the consumer - to prove that the goods were faulty when you bought them.
5. You don't need a receipt
All you really need is proof of purchase, so a bank statement/cheque stub/credit card slip should be sufficient.
However, it will make your life much easier if you keep receipts for everything you buy and store them in a sensible place.
It's helpful to attach receipts to the boxes of any goods you buy, so you don't have to sift through hundreds of receipts.
It may seem a bit cheeky, but at Christmas and on birthdays try asking for gift receipts (these are receipts that don't have the actual amount of money you spent on them) so that you can easily return any faulty items.
6. Sale items
Shops will sometimes say that sale items are non-refundable - this isn't true if the items are faulty (unless that was made clear before you purchased the item). Whether an item is on sale or not makes no difference if the item turns out to be broken.
Jasmine Birtles is from Moneymagpie.com - the website that gives you a richer life.
