The Cyprus Consumers Association, for the better information and preparation of consumers, but also for the best possible exploitation of the opportunities offered by the market.
It recommends to consumers to:
1) Conduct market researchidentifying the products that may interest them and noting their price, so that they can more easily have a true picture of the amount of discounts that will be announced during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
2) Avoid purchasing products, even if they are sold at particularly advantageous prices, from online stores that have websites of dubious legitimacy, e.g. do not include complete contact information (email, address, contact phone number), or channel communication with consumers exclusively through social media applications, such as viber, messenger, etc.
3) Avoid purchasing toys and cosmetics from international platforms. It is recalled that on February 20, 2024, Toy Industries of Europe (TIE) published the results of a mystery shopping investigation it conducted in relation to the Chinese consumer products sales platform TEMU, the results of which showed that 18 out of 19 toys purchased through this website pose a risk to the safety of children, since they violated the provisions of the European Toy Safety Regulation.
4) Be careful of products with very large discounts, where in many cases the discount may be fictitious or even included in a minimum number of products.
5) Study the characteristics of the product they are interested in,in order to make sure that it meets their needs and requirements. Particular emphasis and importance should be given to other critical information.
6) Search for reviews via the Internet regarding the product, as well as the selling price of the product from other suppliers or the identification of alternative products.
7) Price reduction announcements can be numerical (e.g. -20% discount, from 20 euros now 16 euros, 20 euros 16 euros, 4 euros discount, -4 euros). However, they can be expressions that indicate that the price of a product or a category of products has been reduced, without stating the amount or percentage of the discount (e.g. bargain price, offer, discount price, special price, discount).
8) Be careful when signing up for newsletters, with which businesses invite consumers to declare their preferences for specific products in a timely manner and to be informed in advance about the discounts that will be made on them.
9) Evaluate the reliability and quality of service of the specific seller before any purchase. Ask other consumers about their experiences, such as the seller's response to warranty issues and after-sales service.
10) Inform about the store's return policy before purchasing. Please note that for physical store purchases there is no legal obligation and it is up to each store's policy whether to accept returns or exchanges.
11) Receive proof of payment and check before leaving the checkout. With this check, consumers will be sure if the discount was indeed included in the final price of the product.
12)For online or non-store purchases, consumers have the right of withdrawal up to 14 days after receiving the product, after they have informed the company in writing of their intention to withdraw. Attention! In case the purchase is made from an electronic platform of a company that operates in third countries, the above right may not apply.
13)Information as to whether the company participates in the alternative resolution mechanism for consumer disputes or another similar mechanism such as the consumer dispute resolution mechanism offered by the Cyprus Consumers Association.
source: Philenews
