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There are many deals on offer as Christmas approaches that it can be difficult to make an informed decision. So I thought I’d offer some tips on things to be wary of and a few guidelines on your ‘consumer rights’ as a refresher course.
There are two areas I’d advise you steer clear of in order to keep the Christmas spirit flowing: warranties & finance. All items bought come with a standard 12-months return-to-base warranty, which means if it goes wrong you can return it. Changes to the law now mean that any fault discovered in the first six months is presumed to have existed at the time of purchase. Extended warranties offering visits from service engineers the minute something goes wrong may seem attractive, but such visits cost companies a lot of money so they will go to any lengths possible to ‘fix’ the problem remotely, even if this means you dialling a premium-rate support number. The truth is that technology items devalue very quickly as they are superseded by new innovations, and extended warranties (which are effectively insurance policies in disguise) are not worth the money. Your ‘Household Insurance’ will probably cover you, check it and see.
Shark Attack
Beware of any “but now, pay later” deals too. Some are reputable and offer 0% loans providing you pay within the agreed time. If you exceed the time, however, the interest that would have accrued over the entire length of the loan can be added instantl. It can come as a shock, so always read the small print.
The other thing is that store loans generally represent appaling value for money, with interest rates that the mafia would be proud to offer. If you plan to buy an expencive item, try asking your bank for a loan first, as their rates will be much lower. On the subject of money, if you buy an item that costs more than £100, use a credit card if you have one, as you get added insurance.
They say size isn’t everything but some retailers like to think that consumers will be drawn into buying item that come with ‘added extras’. It’s true that you can get some good deals on computers that include various peripherals, but it’s often worth weighing up the offer for yourself, especially as some items are discounted when bought with a larger item. Just make a note of the ‘added’ item and then look it up on Active Prices, or any ordinary search engine such as www.google.co.uk to see if you could get the same item even cheaper.
The fact is that some of these so-called ‘bonus’ items are makeweights. Some will be older discontinued models, especially inkjet printers, which the retailer is trying to ‘shift’ out of its warehouse. Again, get the model number and see if we can help. Old or new it won’t hurt to have a second opinion.
Return to sender
So … what happens if the gift turns out to be a damp squib? There are two reasons why a gift might be unsuitable. Firstly, if the intended recipient already has or doesn’t like the item. If bought online, by mail order or by telephone, you can return items for any reason under the Distance Selling Regulations 2000. I’d advise you to return any unwanted goods within seven days of the item being delivered, not a week after Christmas Day. If you bought from a shop, you have no legal redress as such. However, most retailers have a returns policy, providing you have a receipt and return the item in mint condition.
Items damaged during delivery or those that don’t work are covered by the Distance Selling Regulations, and if goods fail within a week, I suggest you simply send them back to get a replacement or refund. If the fault arises after a reasonable time has passed or was bought from a shop, you will need to invoke the Sale of Goods Act. In that case, you really should read my guide to consumer law.
Happy safe shopping …
Mucks.
There are two areas I’d advise you steer clear of in order to keep the Christmas spirit flowing: warranties & finance. All items bought come with a standard 12-months return-to-base warranty, which means if it goes wrong you can return it. Changes to the law now mean that any fault discovered in the first six months is presumed to have existed at the time of purchase. Extended warranties offering visits from service engineers the minute something goes wrong may seem attractive, but such visits cost companies a lot of money so they will go to any lengths possible to ‘fix’ the problem remotely, even if this means you dialling a premium-rate support number. The truth is that technology items devalue very quickly as they are superseded by new innovations, and extended warranties (which are effectively insurance policies in disguise) are not worth the money. Your ‘Household Insurance’ will probably cover you, check it and see.
Shark Attack
Beware of any “but now, pay later” deals too. Some are reputable and offer 0% loans providing you pay within the agreed time. If you exceed the time, however, the interest that would have accrued over the entire length of the loan can be added instantl. It can come as a shock, so always read the small print.
The other thing is that store loans generally represent appaling value for money, with interest rates that the mafia would be proud to offer. If you plan to buy an expencive item, try asking your bank for a loan first, as their rates will be much lower. On the subject of money, if you buy an item that costs more than £100, use a credit card if you have one, as you get added insurance.
They say size isn’t everything but some retailers like to think that consumers will be drawn into buying item that come with ‘added extras’. It’s true that you can get some good deals on computers that include various peripherals, but it’s often worth weighing up the offer for yourself, especially as some items are discounted when bought with a larger item. Just make a note of the ‘added’ item and then look it up on Active Prices, or any ordinary search engine such as www.google.co.uk to see if you could get the same item even cheaper.
The fact is that some of these so-called ‘bonus’ items are makeweights. Some will be older discontinued models, especially inkjet printers, which the retailer is trying to ‘shift’ out of its warehouse. Again, get the model number and see if we can help. Old or new it won’t hurt to have a second opinion.
Return to sender
So … what happens if the gift turns out to be a damp squib? There are two reasons why a gift might be unsuitable. Firstly, if the intended recipient already has or doesn’t like the item. If bought online, by mail order or by telephone, you can return items for any reason under the Distance Selling Regulations 2000. I’d advise you to return any unwanted goods within seven days of the item being delivered, not a week after Christmas Day. If you bought from a shop, you have no legal redress as such. However, most retailers have a returns policy, providing you have a receipt and return the item in mint condition.
Items damaged during delivery or those that don’t work are covered by the Distance Selling Regulations, and if goods fail within a week, I suggest you simply send them back to get a replacement or refund. If the fault arises after a reasonable time has passed or was bought from a shop, you will need to invoke the Sale of Goods Act. In that case, you really should read my guide to consumer law.
Happy safe shopping …
Mucks.
