HIGH STREET RIGHTS

RETURNING ITEM TO SHOP AFTER LOCKDOWN

Let us say you bought a dress in a high street store just before lockdown. You only tried it on when you got home and it didn’t fit. Due to lockdown, you haven’t been able to return it to the shop until now. But is it too late to do so?

“Check the details of the shop’s returns policy — and the timeframe that applies,” said a spokeswoman for the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). “Under consumer law, items bought in store can only be returned if they are faulty. Some businesses however offer exchanges or refunds if consumers change their mind. This is considered a goodwill gesture by the shop — but it is not a legal requirement. Businesses also tend to have a time limit on this — for example, you may have to return items within 28 days. If the retailer doesn’t accept returns which are not faulty, or if you are outside the timeframe for returning it, ask the shop if it would be willing to adapt its policy due to the exceptional circumstances arising from Covid-19 — as a goodwill gesture. If the shop will not offer a refund, you can ask if it could facilitate either a credit note or an exchange. However, there is no obligation on the shop to facilitate any of these requests.”

PAYING VIA APPS

Let us say you downloaded an app which allows you to pay for a meal through your smartphone — without using a card machine. You’re wondering if it’s safe to pay for meals in this way.

“Scammers often use a card-reading device and decoding software to steal credit and debit card details — and then use these details to pay for items online,” said the CCPC. “With contactless technology, they only need to have the device close to your card, so it is possible for them to intercept your details while your cards are in your pocket or bag. To buy items online, the three digit CVV security code on the back of the card is generally needed along with the cardholder’s name, but this is not always the case and some items can be bought without these.

“So when using any contactless payment facility — whether it be through a shopping app on your smartphone or with your debit or credit card, it’s important to be careful to secure your personal details and to avoid falling foul of potential scammers.”

CLICK & COLLECT

When using ‘click and collect’ services, you have the same rights and protections that you typically would have when shopping online — including the right to cancel within 14 days. Certain items are excluded from this cooling-off period however.

“These include perishable goods (such as food), items that have been unsealed or which cannot be returned for hygiene reasons (such as underwear or cosmetics) and custom-made goods,” said the CCPC.