Today, consumers enjoy many privileges. One of them is the possibility to return goods without giving a specific reason. However, the time that the customer gets to return the goods will not always be the same. So what can it depend on?
At the outset, it is worth noting that returning goods is not the same as claiming them. What distinguishes the two is primarily the condition of the returned products. When we talk about a complaint, we mean defective goods that have been damaged for reasons beyond the control of the buyer. In the context of a complaint, it is possible to apply for a refund, replacement of the item and, in some situations, also its repair.
The return of goods, or so-called withdrawal from the contract, applies to items without any defects or damage and may be for personal reasons, such as the conclusion that the goods do not meet customer expectations. In such a situation, the consumer may return the goods without specifying a particular reason.
When can we return goods?
Withdrawal from a contract, regulated by the Consumer Rights Act, is only possible if the goods have been purchased remotely (via Internet, telephone or mail order) or off-site (for example through a door-to-door salesman). The return period is then 14 days from receipt of the goods, but many online shops choose to extend this period by up to half.
A customer who purchases goods in a stationary shop can no longer enjoy similar privileges. This is because, contrary to popular belief, the return in such a case is not regulated by any legal provisions and the possibility to withdraw from the contract is purely the result of the individual policy of the shop.
Individual return policy
An individual return policy mainly applies to chain shops (so-called chain shops). They usually have an online counterpart that allows customers to return goods. It would therefore be paradoxical if such an option did not apply in a stationary shop. Therefore, in order to standardise operations, the option to return goods without a specific reason is also offered after a traditional purchase.
In such a situation, the return period is usually extended (in both stationary and online shops) and is usually 30 days. The prerequisite for the withdrawal from the contract is the presentation of the sales document. Returned products must not bear any signs of use. They must also be originally labelled.
What goods are not returnable?
Although it might seem that the law clearly regulates the conditions, concerning the return of purchased goods, allowing the buyer to change his decision within 14 days, there are also some exceptions to this rule. These concern products or services that are not returnable. Among them are:
- products with a short shelf life (e.g. food),
- items that are not reusable once opened (e.g. contact lenses),
- computer programs, as well as sound/visual recordings which have been unsealed after delivery (e.g. a music CD),
- dailies, periodicals and magazines,
- products or services purchased in the form of a file (e.g. e-books),
- custom-made items (e.g. a tailor-made dress),
- services performed in full with the consent of the purchaser for a period shorter than that provided for in the withdrawal (e.g. e-courses),
- a commodity whose price depends on fluctuations in the financial market (e.g. currencies),
- products which, once purchased, are inseparable from other goods (e.g. vehicle fuel),
- repair or maintenance services which take place in the consumer's home (e.g. plumbing),
- goods purchased at a public auction,
- hotel, transport, car rental, catering, leisure, entertainment, sports and cultural services (if a day or period has been designated during which the service will be provided),
- digital content not recorded on media (e.g. computer games downloaded from the Internet).
Time to return goods - what does it depend on?
What most often determines the timing of the return of goods is the retailer's individual approach and shop policy. How much time the customer will have to withdraw from the contract depends on these arrangements. However, an increasing number of stationary traders are choosing to introduce this privilege in their terms and conditions. Such action is motivated primarily by the desire to provide customers with the opportunity to change their decision without incurring consequences, which is expected to lead to increased sales.
Another element that determines the time to return goods is ... the goods themselves. Very often traders adapt the withdrawal period to the product on sale. This gives the customer more time to decide and think about whether it will be worthwhile for him or her to return the goods - especially if the shop's terms and conditions clearly indicate that the shipping of the products is at the buyer's expense.
