Category: Shopping Habits

Buying goods online has become the new norm for many of us but what happens when things go wrong and either the goods are not as described in the advert, they are faulty, or they do not arrive at all?

We all have something called consumer rights that should protect the online buyer just as it should protect someone buying in store. It is vital that everyone is aware of their rights and are willing to act on them and that sellers respect these rights and operate lawfully at all times.

Let us look first at goods that arrived that are not as described in the advertisement. For most online orders you have fourteen days from receiving your order to contact the retailer to ask for a refund and then a further fourteen days to return the goods. The standard delivery charged to you should be refunded too. In the case of faulty goods noticed within the first thirty days the retailer must offer you a refund or offer to repair or replace the faulty item. After this period and up to the guarantee period they are obliged to offer to repair or replace the goods and if the item is still faulty they must then offer a refund.

It is very frustrating if you order goods online and they simply do not appear on your doorstep. It is important to note that your contract is with the retailer not the courier so any disputes must be raised with the seller who should reimburse you for the missing goods.

The last 12 months has had a massive effect n the retail and shopping industry. Many shops have had to close their doors for long periods of time throughout the last year and unfortunately some have not made it through these tough times and will not be able to open again.

The government have announced that non-essential retail can start to reopen again from the 12^th April 2021. This is a much-needed boost for many retailers who fear they may not be able to survive for much longer, but will shopping be the same as it was before?

It is likely that when shops first do open, many social distancing rules will still be in place so you may still not be able to use the changing rooms and queues may be expected as less tills are open and less people allowed in the shops. We do not yet know how many of these rules may be here to stay. Also, lots of people have had to turn to online shopping throughout the pandemic and it may be that they continue to do so even when the shops reopen. We could see a lot less foot fall to out towns and cities.

With lockdown restrictions hopefully being lifted just a few weeks before Christmas, many of us will be rushing around to get everything we need. This lockdown a few shops have remained open but not clothing and toy shops.

Every year more and more people do their shopping online but this year there has been a huge increase. For many people, they do not want to wait until a few weeks before the big day to start doing their shopping. It may be that you are still shielding and therefore do not want to risk going out to the shops especially when it is going to be really busy.

If you are going to order presents online, you need to do it as early as possible. There is likely to be delays in the post the closer we get to Christmas, so ordering now should avoid disappointment. When ordering online it is even more important to read the descriptions in full and check things such as dimensions as many people have been caught out this way. Also check the delivery times, especially if ordering from somewhere like eBay or Amazon as some deliveries are coming from abroad so can take a few weeks.

If you have recently been abroad to a country such as Tunisia, Egypt or Canaries then you will probably be well aware that people often haggle on the market and in some shops to get a better price. Lots of people have the confidence to do it abroad, quickly learning that if they don’t they may get taken advantage of, but did you know you can actually do it in many shops in the UK, even some big chain shops. When you have found a number of products that you want to buy, before taking them up to the check out, try and speak to a member of staff and ask them if they can do you a better deal when buying multiple items. If you want an item that you have seen cheaper elsewhere, many stores offer a price match or lower price than their competitors if you ask. If you are buying a large quantity from one store, then you could also ask to see if they will give you a bulk discount.

If an item is marked or damaged, you can again ask for a reduction in price but it may then not be allowed to be returned. This can often save you quite a bit on the retail price and often the damage can easily be repaired or does not affect the product use in any way.

Online shopping has grown and grown over the last decade and some people now do the majority of their shopping online, often from the comfort of their own home without even having to leave the house. The average online shopper spends £40 each month on clothes and 55% of female shoppers buy clothes online. This year (2018) has seen an increase in online shopping from 74% to 80%! With this trend, it is no wonder that many of the high street stores are starting to struggle.

So will there always be a need for the high street store? This is a question many people are starting to wonder. High street stores, at present, are needed as there are still some people that would prefer to go and look at something or try it on before they buy. Also with most stores offering delivery between 1-7 days, if you need something urgently then you may need to go to a store to get it rather than wait to have it delivered. Companies like Amazon are already trailing drones that could deliver items to people the same day, maybe within a few hours. If and when this happens, it may mean even more people turn to online shopping that hitting the high street.