THE FIVE GOLDEN RULES OF SALES SHOPPING

Your guide to bagging a bargain

Before launching yourself into the sales, be sure to do some homework to help you bag the best bargains around

AN EYE FOR A DEAL

We all love a bargain, but in the heat of sales-shopping fever, it’s easy to confuse a genuine deal with an impulse buy. Before you hit the shops, take a long, hard look at your wardrobe and around the house and make a shopping list of things you actually need.

If you find something in the shops, hurrah, but do your research before you rush to the till. Price-check online (pricespy.co.uk) to see if a better deal is available elsewhere. Found it cheaper? Ask the retailer to price match; most stores will say yes rather than lose custom. Time to haggle!

If something that isn’t on your list does tempt you, take a step back and give yourself space to think. ‘Count from one to 10 and then ask yourself if you really need it,’ says Dr Dimitrios Tsivrikos, consumer and business psychologist. ‘Taking time to think could stop you from making an unnecessary purchase,’ he adds.

If you’re shopping on Amazon, you can track a product’s previous prices at uk.camelcamelcamel.com.

KEEP RECEIPTS SAFE

Be sure to keep hold of receipts – you’ll need them if you want to return a product or if it turns out to be faulty. The easiest way to keep track of them is to get them emailed to you (most stores now offer this option). Create a separate folder in your email inbox dedicated to receipts. Prefer the oldfashioned way? File receipts in envelopes marked up by month.

GHI TIP Don’t worry if you lose a receipt, a bank or credit card statement is often enough as proof of purchase.

DON’T FALL FOR A FAKE

Whether you’re browsing at the local market or sitting at your computer, sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s genuine and what’s not. While imitation products may look like a bargain, in reality they can be poor quality or even dangerous. Customs can also confiscate counterfeit items coming into the country, so you may lose any money you’ve paid. Fake goods are sold at low and very tempting prices. Be wary of deals that appear too good to be true – they usually are! If you’re suspicious of a website, you can use whois.net to find out who owns it. Some brands also list approved stockists on their website. If you suspect you may have unwittingly bought a fake, report it at actionfraud.police.uk.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

◆ If you change your mind… Unless the item’s faulty, the retailer isn’t legally obliged to give a refund or exchange. Individual retailers stipulate how long you have for returns, but it’s usually about 28 days. If the item’s since dropped in price, you’ll normally only be refunded the lower price unless you have proof of purchase price. ◆ If there’s a fault... If an item’s faulty, not fit for purpose or does not last a reasonable amount of time, the retailer has a legal duty to offer a refund, exchange or repair. If you find the goods are faulty within 30 days of purchase, you can demand a refund. After 30 days, you have the right to a repair or replacement. ◆ If you bought online… The same rules apply, plus there’s a 14-day cooling-off period to cancel the order and 14 days to return it for a full refund if you change your mind.

PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT

If you were given a gift card last Christmas, now is the time to use it. They can often be forgotten about and expire (most run out after 12 months). The other issue is that if the retailer goes into administration, you may not be able to use it. ◆ For more advice on your consumer rights, visit goodhousekeeping.com/ uk/consumer-advice.

GHI TIP