days of Black Friday.
The time is counting backwards for this year's Black Friday in Cyprus, which this year will be on November 24, i.e. the last Friday of the month. 24H gathered all the necessary information to do your shopping correctly and with care, so as to avoid the pitfalls of these days.
The Legal Officer Mrs. Virginia Christou spoke to 24H and told us everything you should for the Cypriot consumer to know and how we can take advantage of the Black Friday offers avoiding all the traps that lurk.
“There are businesses that keep their discounts until the beginning of December. The peak of the sales is on Friday night, you see what happens, Mrs. Christou told us characteristically and continues saying: In Cyprus we notice that some businesses implement Black Friday two days before and until the beginning of December. Then the Christmas sales start. It is noted that in America Black Friday lasts only three days at most”.
WHAT THE CYPRUS CONSUMER SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR BEFORE SHOPPING ON BLACK FRIDAY:
“All consumers should do market research from now on, that is, we identify the products which we are interested in market research as of now, for example value, in which we should do the research and what are the prices that are available. As we head into the peak of Black Friday, we'll have to see if the real discount really applies or if it's a virtual discount.
‘Another point that we should pay attention to is to determine our budget in advance, not to get carried away by its discounts. We emphasize that Christmas sales follow and there are even businesses that start their sales from December 10 in conjunction with Black Friday. It is good not to proceed with hasty purchases.
Also, it is important to avoid products that are on sale, and here what I want to say is that we go and finally buy the product and see that it does not meet its requirements and that the data regarding the operation of the product is not recorded or and how it is used.
Another and very important point is the online markets, where we notice that some companies do not list the characteristics of the product and are obliged by the Law (Law 112 I)/2021, to have the characteristics of the product. Consumers before buying the product, and this also concerns our daily purchases, should use the internet in the sense of seeing the reviews that exist in relation to the product, where they should also be concerned that here is the trap ( if it has positive reviews or many reviews that may not be true).
Before we buy a product, we evaluate the reliability and quality of service that the seller's business has, we ask other consumers who bought it if they encountered a problem or if it really served them, if the product was defective, if they were willing, etc.
Particular attention to this and we should emphasize and clarify that even during the Black Friday period, we receive complaints that some companies tell consumers that because the product is on sale due to the institution, the warranty is reduced. This is illegal and should be reported by consumers and we make it clear that all new products whether on sale or not, have a two year warranty. All used products have a one year warranty whether they are on sale or not. For complaints, they can be sent to the Consumers Association on the phone 22516112 and to the Ministry of Commerce 1429″.
THE BUSINESS RETURN POLICY
“When we buy something online or outside a commercial store (telephone order), at any time, according to the law I mentioned above, the consumer has the right within 14 days from the day he receives the product to inform the company in writing that he does not want the product, to return it and get his money back. In case we buy in person at the store, then in case we regret the purchase, it depends on the terms and policy of the company on whether it will accept the return of products, whether it will give us the money or a credit note (Voucher).
One last thing. Consumers should be especially careful when buying products during a discount period, since there is no legal framework that requires the company to pay the consumer, in the event of a return of the product, the amount originally paid, in the event that a parallel discount occurs on the product. For example, before the discounts are announced a product is worth 50 euros, while when the discounts are announced the price drops to 35 euros and he buys it for 35 euros and then when he returns it he notices that there is another discount and it costs 10 euros. The question here is what the consumer will get. This is not legislated or regulated.”
CONSUMER COMPLAINTS
“Regarding for consumer complaints, Ms. Christou told 24H, “that during last year and the year before last, they concerned cases of advertising brochures promoting some products, mainly electrical appliances. Consumers would go to the store and eventually find out that there was no stock.
Other businesses reported on their website very deep discounts of up to 90%, where if someone came across such There were no discounts of any kind.
Another complaint, related to the return policy, businesses that may present a product at a price as a discount and if you remove the tag at the bottom of the label, the the same price prevailed in the previous months”.
