Single’s Day is over. Black Friday comes on November 25th, Cyber ??Monday on November 28th. Shopping action days from the USA and China have become established in Germany. What consumers need to be aware of.
Singles Day, Black Friday, Cyber ??Monday: No matter what the name of the child is, retailers outdo each other with online discount campaigns in the six weeks leading up to Christmas. Or rather with supposed discount campaigns. Because whether an offer is really good has to be checked again and again on a case-by-case basis, advises the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) consumer advice center.
With many supposed super bargains you save significantly less than you thought. Many discounts are based on a comparison with the manufacturer’s recommended retail price (RRP), which hardly any retailer normally calls up.
In order to be able to classify the offers correctly, you should use price search engines, which often also offer a price history. Only when a special offer cannot be undercut after comparing it in two price search engines should one start thinking about a purchase, according to consumer advocates.
Anyone planning for the long term would also be well advised to keep an eye on the prices for certain goods both online and in bricks-and-mortar stores over the course of the year, according to consumer advocates. Only those who know the market product price can determine the real savings and unmask inflated RRP discounts.
Despite everything, it can happen that immediately after clicking on the “Buy” button, you realize that this was not a good, cheap or necessary purchase. If it is then not possible to cancel the order via the retailer, the right of withdrawal still remains as a safety net and double bottom.
In the case of an online purchase, the revocation is usually possible without giving reasons up to 14 days after delivery of the product, the consumer advice center informs. However, return shipping costs may apply. It is worth checking the relevant specifications of a retailer before making a purchase.
In the time of Christmas sales and bargain fever, there is a great danger of being taken in by fake shops. These are often difficult to unmask, especially when they are copies of real online shops. Basically, if a price is too good to be true, it isn’t.
And if you can only pay in advance in the end, then: hands off. Invoice or direct debit should be selected as the preferred payment method. In addition, the Verbraucherzentrale NRW offers the Fakeshop-Finder, a tool that checks websites for typical features of a fraudulent shop and then provides users with an assessment of the seriousness.
