Bargain minefield

MILLIONS of consumers will be on a spending spree again this week – tempted by the January sales.

With this in mind, here’s some key things you need to beware of and to consider before you part with your hard-earned cash.

Do you really need to make the purchase?

This is the time of year when most impulse purchases are made – and when consumers buy bargain goods they do not really need.

So it is worth considering if you really need to part with your cash before pressing the ‘buy now’ button or taking goods to the till.

Is it really a good deal?

Before the arrival of the internet, January sales used to be one of the very few times when you could pick up a bargain – at a price better than you would see all year. But now the reality is that you can usually find goods at great prices all year round.

And that is all thanks to greater availability online plus the way that retailers have become much more competitive in recent times – each fighting harder for a sale.

Remember, your rights are exactly the same.

There is a big misconception that consumer rights are reduced during a sale period, just because you’ve paid less money for the goods. This is simply untrue.

The Consumer Rights Act makes no distinction between goods purchased at full price or during a sale. So your rights are exactly the same.

Beware of reduced returns policies

Unlike when you buy stuff online, you have no legal right to return goods bought in a shop simply because you happen to have changed your mind.

Despite this, retailers often allow you to return goods within their terms and conditions, giving consumers up to 30 days to bring back goods in pristine condition.

But beware… during sale periods many retailers reduce or even suspend the return rights in their terms and conditions. Faulty goods

No matter what the retailer’s terms say, if goods are faulty you will have the right to return them.

If it’s within the first 30 days after delivery, you have the right to a full refund.

And even if its after this period, you are entitled to a refund, repair or replacement.

The retailer gets to choose which remedy to implement.