With an estimated £7billion to be spent in the UK this year on Black Friday (29 November) and Cyber Monday (2 December), The Consumer Council has issued essential guidance to ensure consumers know their rights and shop safely.
Mark Crawford, Head of Consumer Empowerment and Protection at The Consumer Council, said: “As many retailers start their deals in the week leading up to Black Friday, it is important that consumers know their shopping rights as soon as possible.
“We have compiled a list of top tips to help consumers shop safely and avoid costly pitfalls this Black Friday and Cyber Monday.”
The Consumer Council’s top tips for Black Friday and Cyber Monday:
- Shop safe online – Ensure ‘https’ (the ‘s’ stands for secure) and a padlock icon are present in the browser bar.
- Do your research - If you are buying from a company you have not used before, check reviews and previous customers’ feedback.
- Avoid clicking on email web links - These may direct you to a fake (but realistic looking) website. It is better to type in the website address yourself.
- Know your return rights - Impulse shopping? With goods bought online, you have a 14 day cooling-off period to cancel most types of orders, return the items and get your money back.
- Choose the best payment method - Paying by credit card for single items costing £100 and over gives you valuable legal protection if goods do not arrive, are faulty, or do not match the description. Paying by credit or debit card for orders costing less than £100 also gives you protection using your card provider’s voluntary ‘Chargeback’ scheme.
- Check delivery - Before you buy, check the company delivers to Northern Ireland, the cost and the expected delivery timeframe. Remember to stand up for your rights if a retailer advertises ‘free UK delivery’ but withdraws the offer to customers in Northern Ireland.
- Spend responsibly - Remember, it is only a bargain if you needed it.
- Set a budget - Do you feel under pressure and tempted to spend money that you cannot afford for Christmas? Include your Black Friday and Cyber Monday spending on our free Christmas Budget Planner.
Content supplied by The Consumer Council
https://www.consumercouncil.org.uk/ (link is external)
