2008
A majority of Scottish consumers are not aware of their legal rights when buying at the sales. Many are not aware that if you change your mind about a purchase, you have no legal right to a refund; furthermore people are not aware of their rights if they purchase faulty goods.
2 January 2008
One of the most popular misconceptions is that consumer rights are different during the sales. The reality is consumers have the same rights when they buy goods in a sale as at any time of the year.
Gordon Macdonald manager of Consumer Direct Scotland advises:
'It’s always worth double-checking a retailer’s refund policy before buying and this is particularly important when sales shopping. Although many shops allow you to exchange full price goods that you’ve had second thoughts about, they do this as a goodwill gesture. There’s no legal requirement for them to do it. These goodwill gestures may change or be withdrawn altogether during the sales.'
You have the same rights when you buy sale items as you do for full price items. If the goods are faulty and are returned within a reasonable time, you may be entitled to your money back. Alternatively you could ask for a repair or replacement, depending on the circumstances.
The only difference would be for second-hand goods; where the quality should only be what you could reasonably expect from that product, given its age and how much it has been used. On sale items/second hand goods you cannot return an item if a fault was pointed out to you before sale or if the fault should have been obvious to you.
Consumer Direct Scotland has ten tips to help remind you of your consumer rights:
1. You have the same rights when you buy goods in a sale as at any other time of year.
2. Always remember that if goods are faulty it is the retailers’ responsibility and not the manufacturers’.
3. When purchases don’t meet their specification, such as clothing that is damaged after only one wearing, you may be entitled to a refund or a replacement.
4. If a damaged item needs repairing, the repair should be carried out within a reasonable period of time and without causing you significant inconvenience.
5. If an item of clothing you have bought ruins any of your other belongings - for example the colour runs due to a fault and discolours other clothes - you may be entitled to compensation over and above the price of the item.
6. If you lose your receipts, your rights still apply. Alternative proof of purchase may be necessary such as a credit card bill or bank statement.
7. If goods you buy are faulty, incorrectly described or not fit for purpose you may be entitled to your money back, an exchange or a repair.
8. When purchasing items costing over £100.00, think about using a credit card as you will get extra protection from your credit card company should problems arise.
9. If you need to return faulty goods that are bulky, heavy or difficult to carry, you can ask the seller to collect them.
10. Finally, don’t forget that you don't have any real grounds for complaint if you:
- were told about a fault prior to purchasing
- examined the item when you bought it and should have seen the fault
- did the damage yourself
- made a mistake when buying the item
- simply changed your mind
But many shops will help out of goodwill if you have proof of purchase.
Consumers who want to check their rights should call Consumer Direct Scotland on 08454 04 05 06.
-ends-
MEDIA enquiries:
Jean Mackenzie
Tel: 01851 822300
NOTES
1. Consumer Direct is a telephone and online consumer advice service funded by government and managed by the Office of Fair Trading. It operates in partnership with Local Authority Trading Standards Services to offer consumers clear, practical and impartial advice and information.
2. Consumer Direct has around 350 trained advisers in 11 contact centres across England, Wales and Scotland.
3. The information and advice helpline is available on a single national telephone number - 08454 04 05 06 from 0800 – 1830 Monday to Friday, and 0900 – 1300 Saturday, excluding bank holidays and public holidays.
4. A Welsh-speaking Consumer Direct service is available on 08454 04 05 05. Minicom users should call 08451 28 13 84.
5. Calls to the Consumer Direct 0845 numbers are charged at no more than four pence per minute from a BT landline. Call charges from other landline providers or mobile phones may vary. Please check the rate with your phone service provider.
6. Northern Ireland has its own service called ConsumerLine (available on 08456 00 62 62) which is similar to Consumer Direct. Visit the ConsumerLine website.
