It’s really important to know your consumer rights. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has a quick guide below to your rights during sale time.
What are your consumer rights in a sale?
Your consumer rights don’t change in a sale. If something you bought at a sale price turns out to be faulty, your consumer rights are the same as at any other time of the year.
Some shops display signs such as 'No Refunds' or 'No Exchanges' at sale times, which can be confusing, but these notices don’t change your rights.
In all cases, what you buy must be as described to you, fit for the intended purpose and be of satisfactory quality. If you bought something that turns out to be faulty there are a number of options open to you depending on the problem. These include a repair, replacement, reduction in the price or a full refund.
Once you notice a fault with any item you have bought, you should return it as soon as possible to the seller, explain what has happened and show them proof of purchase. This can be your receipt, or a copy of your debit or credit card statement. The outcome you get can be affected by how the item was used and also by the length of time the item you have it owned it, so it’s important to act quickly.
What if something I bought at full price is faulty but now on sale?
If an item you bought at full price turns out to be faulty and is now on sale, you are still entitled to a refund of the full price or a replacement of the same value. You do not have to accept a refund of the lower sale price if the goods are faulty. However, if you were told about a fault in a product before you bought it, for example, a dress reduced in price because of a faulty zip, then you may not be entitled to a refund, repair or replacement.
What if I buy something in a sale and later change my mind?
There is a difference between having consumer rights when things go wrong, and returning an item because you’ve changed your mind. If you do change your mind, you do not have rights under consumer law. If you return the item, the shop does not have to offer you a refund or a replacement. Many shops will accept returns, sometimes with conditions that you have proof of purchase or that items are in the original packaging with labels attached, and give you an exchange or refund within a certain amount of time after the purchase. But the shop does not have to do this - it is a gesture of goodwill and some shops may only offer an exchange or refund on full-price goods.
Remember, because you are not automatically entitled to a refund/exchange if you simply change your mind, a shop may change its policy on this, especially during sales periods. Always check the returns policy before you buy. Shops which do offer exchanges or refunds if you change your mind may only give you a refund in the form of a credit note or gift voucher for the shop, rather than giving you your money back.
Fergal O’Leary is Director of Communications and Market Insights at the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). The CCPC is responsible for enforcing competition and consumer protection laws across the economy. To help consumers make informed decisions it also gives independent, unbiased information about consumer rights and personal finance products and service through its consumer helpline 1890 432 432. Visit the CCPC consumer website for more information on your consumer rights.
