Avoid buying into Black Friday myth
WE are growing used to seeing shoppers frantically scouring stores for the best Black Friday bargains.
This year’s annual shopping bonanza is on November 24.
So it’s time to debunk a myth about one of the biggest days in the retail calendar.
Many people believe you have fewer rights when you buy goods on Black Friday or during a sale period. But this is not true.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 your rights are the same as at any other period. If you plan a Black Friday shopping spree here’s what you need to know. What happens i f you buy something on Black Friday and it is faulty? If you find your purchases are faulty within the first 30 days you can take them back and demand a full refund. After this time you can ask for a replacement or repair but the retailer can chose which one to provide. What if I change my mind about a purchase? Again, the same rules as those outside sales apply.
If you buy in-store, check the retailer’s terms and conditions.
It is advisable to ask about these before you purchase. But if you bought online the Consumer Contract Regulations say you can change your mind and send goods back up to 14 days from delivery. When can you expect to get your goods when purchased online? Generally within 30 days. If you have a specific date in mind you must say at the point of purchase.
The retailer is responsible for the goods until they are put in your hands – unless you authorised them to be left outside or with a neighbour. If the deliverer damages the goods, it is the retailer’s responsibility to sort it. Black Friday scams Fraudsters are busy on and around landmark days such as Black Friday so it’s important to be wary of online and email scams. If you think a deal is too good to be true on a website, then follow this advice.
Check that a website is safe by looking at the url in the address bar. The url should start https:// www. All secure websites will have an s after the http and will look like this – https. This is very important, especially if you are on a payment page of a website.
Another thing that you should look out for is the padlock symbol in the address bar. This also indicates that a web page is secure and that you can be confident in using its payment system.