Top shopping tips as charity reveals 25% of South West shoppers find problem with their purchase

New research from Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire finds 25% of shoppers in the South West have experienced a problem with their purchase since October 2023.

The charity’s study found that, nationally, consumers spent over £2 billion and six million hours – an average of £64 and 94 minutes per person – trying to fix these issues. This was made up by, for example, people needing to take time off to return a parcel within set hours. They could also be racking up phone bills hanging on the end of a customer helpline.

Further analysis revealed top issues across the country included:

• Delivery issues (57%), with products arriving late (28%) or not arriving at all (27%);
• And consumers receiving defective goods (52%)

To help shoppers start 2024 clued up on their rights, Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire is sharing its top tips to shop confidently. This advice marks the start of its Consumer Awareness campaign (Monday 29th January – Sunday 4th February). Citizens Advice runs the annual campaign in collaboration with the Consumer Protection Partnership (CPP), which includes Trading Standards and the Department for Business and Trade.

Chantal Watts, Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire, said: “As we go into the New Year, it’s important that people in South Gloucestershire are armed with the right knowledge to shop safely. With budgets already stretched, none of us want to waste precious time or money on retail issues that could easily be avoided.

“Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire is dedicated to giving consumers the knowledge they need to stay savvy when shopping on the high street or online. Everyone can be a consumer champion when they have the right information.”

Top tips to help consumers avoid a problem with their purchase:

• Problem with purchase – delivery problems

  • It’s the seller’s responsibility to make sure the item is delivered to you. Check the delivery address you gave the seller and contact them to ask where your order is.
  • If the seller claims they’ve delivered it or don’t know where it is, you can ask for a redelivery. You might be able to get a refund in some circumstances.

• Defective goods

  • If something’s gone wrong with an item you’ve bought, you might be entitled to a refund, repair or replacement. You’ll have legal rights if the item you bought is:
    • broken or damaged (‘not of satisfactory quality’)
    • unusable (‘not fit for purpose’)
    • not what was advertised or doesn’t match the seller’s description

• What if I change my mind?

  • If you buy in store, you don’t have a legal right to return goods if you’ve simply changed your mind. Lots of shops have their own policies and do allow this, but time limits can vary.
  • If you buy online you usually get a right to cancel, known as a cooling off period, but there are exemptions including bespoke or personalised goods, and computer software where the seal is broken.

• Pay safe

  • Pay by card so you have another form of protection if there’s a problem. The other way would be by making a chargeback or section 75 claim to your card provider.
  • Be cautious if the seller asks you to pay in an unusual way such as in iTunes vouchers, crypto currency or via bank transfer as this could be the sign of a scam.

• Making a return

  • Get proof of your return – a receipt from a shop or proof of postage. If you pay for return postage check the service you use covers the value of the goods.
  • Using a service that includes tracking means you can prove when a trader received your return.

For information and advice, visit the  Citizens Advice South Gloucestershire website at: www.southgloscab.org.uk/

Published 29/01/24.