麻豆社

On 19th November 2025, consumer expert Martyn James talked us through your rights when it comes to getting a refund from a retailer – after research from Money Saving Expert in July 2025 found that retailers were getting your rights wrong.

Purchases made online

• You have 14 days to change your mind when you buy goods online and inform the retailer – and a further 14 days to return them.
• You have 30 days to report faulty or misrepresented goods and get a full refund.
• After this, you have 6 months from the sale to get a repair or replacement of faulty goods, but failing that it’s a refund.
• The rules also apply to goods purchased via 'click and collect'

Purchasing in store

• You DON'T have a legal right to change your mind & return store-bought goods. Even if you've bought the wrong colour or size, stores don't legally have to refund you simply because you've changed your mind.
• You will have to look at the retailer’s store policy for returning unwanted items - if a retailer has a returns policy it must stick to it
• If items are faulty, it doesn't matter where you bought them.

Faulty products

• If a product’s faulty then it doesn’t matter whether you bought it in person or online, you’re entitled to a full refund within the first 30 days.
• If it breaks in the first 6 months the retailer is the one who should repair or replace it. After that, it’s up to you to prove that the product was faulty at the time the goods were delivered to you.

Items not covered (unless faulty)

• Personalised or perishable goods including flowers and food
• Accommodation/transport/leisure services purchased for a particular timeframe
• Newspapers and magazines (unless part of a subscription)
• Sealed audio, video or computer software that has been opened
• Medical products and services
• If you reserve items online but pay for them in store
• If you buy something at an auction