The January sales campaign is already here. Although the official shot is on January 7, just after Reyes, several of the large textile chains have started discounts before. In any case, you have to be attentive from the first minute to avoid overspending or getting carried away by possible deceptions in products and prices.
A key advice is to make a list of what is really needed to avoid a compulsive purchase. After a difficult year marked by inflation, many see sales as an opportunity to spend what they have been saving to get the most out of it. But that idea does not blind. "Take advantage to equip yourself, your family or your home with better prices without being carried away by impulsive purchases", they reiterate from the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) in a series of tips.
At the starting point, a discounted product must have been part of the store's regular offer for at least a month, not have been manufactured just for this time. Nor can it be defective or deteriorated. "The sales are not balances, promotions or liquidations", he alerts himself. No pig in a poke.
The discounted price must appear next to the old one, or clearly indicate the discounted percentage. If there are several prices, the lowest specified is taken as a reference.
To avoid trouble, before buying you have to ask the conditions that apply. "Physical stores are not required to accept a return, unless there is a flaw; and the refund may not be in cash, but on a card or redeemable voucher," warn the consumer association. The form of payment or return terms may also change during the sales period, but all this must be clearly reported.
Despite possible changes in the conditions, the fact that there are sales does not mean that consumer rights also lose value: the warranty periods and after-sales services are the same. And in online purchases, as always, there is a period of 14 days in which the product can be returned without the need to justify the reason.
If the entire purchase has gone smoothly, don't let your guard down just yet. Above all, do not make the mistake of throwing away the ticket or the simplified invoice. "It is vital to be able to claim later", he informs himself. It will also be needed for changes and returns.
