New research ¹ reveals that more than a third of UK shoppers (36%) plan to do the majority of their festive shopping online this year and almost a quarter (22%) plan to take advantage of sales/discounts to help manage the costs of Christmas. Here are some practical tips from the Furniture & Home Improvement Ombudsman (FHIO) to help consumers, no matter their holiday spending plans to ensure they know their rights!
36% plan to do the majority of their shopping online
This means that you may have the right to return goods within 14 days starting the day after you receive them. Remember though that you have to pay the cost of returning the goods if it is explained in the retailers terms and conditions and it is your responsibility to let the seller know that you want to, within the time allowed and to get them back in one piece - so make sure you package them carefully and take some photos just in case they do get damaged in transit.
At Christmas key retailers often extend their returns period into January and sometimes all the way to the end of January helping so even though you may have bought a present in November you can still return it in January. For example John Lewis has extended its returns to the 23rd January 2025.
Where goods are personalised, for example made using photographs which are supplied to the retailer or by adding your name or some specific text, these are non-returnable (unless they are faulty, not as described or not fit for purpose). This is regardless of whether the products were bought in store or ordered online. This is because they are made specifically for you and cannot reasonably be re-sold.
22% Plan to take advantage of sales/discounts
Where goods are bought in a sale at a reduced price, consumers still have access to their consumer rights. If you bought the goods in a shop and they are faulty, they can be returned for a full refund (within the first 30 days). After that, if goods cannot, after one attempt, be successfully repaired or replaced, a price reduction or final right to reject would be the legal remedy. This means that you might get a sum of money to keep them as they are, or you could return them and get your money back (this might be a full or a part refund depending how long you have had them for before you noticed the issue). The amount of the refund would be calculated by reference to the price paid, not the original non-reduced price of the goods.
It’s also worth noting that if you were told the reason for the price reduction, (such as damage), you cannot return them based solely on that issue.
22% are concerned about affordability
Ask yourself, is it really a bargain? There are strict rules that retailers need to stick to when advertising reductions in a sale. This is to ensure that you can be confident that the reduction is a genuine one. You would not be entitled to the difference if items are further reduced after you have made your purchase, so make sure you are happy with the current price that you are committing to pay and don’t feel pressurised by slogan such as “only 2 left” or “3 other customers are looking at this item”.
At this busy time of year, it’s easy to forget to check something out or keep a receipt, so we have devised a quick check-list to help:
- Keep your proof of purchase as you may need this if you need to return anything.
- Get a gift receipt since if the items are reduced in the January sales, this is a good way of ensuring that the spirit of your gift is not devalued in line with the price.
- Check the delivery date to make sure things are going to get here on time.
- Inspect the goods when they arrive (or before you leave the shop) and definitely before you wrap them to avoid disappointment.
- Know your rights and where to go if things aren’t right!
FHIO deals with complaints in the furniture and home improvement sector and a list of the businesses who have signed up to our scheme can be found on our website. If you are buying big ticket items, it is always worth checking ahead of making the purchase whether the retailer is signed up to an Ombudsman scheme to give you peace of mind that if something does go wrong, there is an independent body that you can complain to. For more information, go to www.fhio.org.
