Citizens Advice Rochdale issues top shopping tips as charity reveals 19% of North West shoppers hit by recent consumer woe

New research from Citizens Advice Rochdale finds 19% shoppers in the North West have experienced a problem with an item they’ve bought since October 2023.

The charity’s study found that, nationally, consumers spent over £2 billion and six million hours - an average of £64 and 94 minutes per person - trying to fix these issues. This was made up by, for example, people needing to take time off work to return a parcel within set hours, or racking up phone bills hanging on the end of a customer helpline.

Further analysis revealed top issues across the country included:

• Delivery issues (55%), with products arriving late (28%) or not arriving at all (27%);
• And consumers receiving defective goods (52%)

To help shoppers start 2024 clued up on their rights, Citizens Advice Rochdale is sharing its top tips to shop confidently. This advice marks the start of its Consumer Awareness campaign (Monday 29 January - Sunday 4 February). The annual campaign is run by Citizens Advice in collaboration with the Consumer Protection Partnership (CPP), which includes Trading Standards and the Department for Business and Trade.

Jonathan Yates, chief officer of Citizens Advice Rochdale, said: “As we go into the new year, it’s important that people in Rochdale are armed with the right knowledge to shop safely. With budgets already stretched, none of us want to waste precious time or money on retail issues that could easily be avoided.

“Citizens Advice Rochdale is dedicated to giving consumers the knowledge they need to stay savvy when shopping on the highstreet or online. Everyone can be a consumer champion when they have the right information.”

Citizens Advice Rochdale also offers top tips to help consumers shop safely this year:

1. Delivery problems

• It’s the seller’s responsibility to make sure the item is delivered to you. Check the delivery address you gave the seller and contact them to ask where your order is. 
• If the seller claims they've delivered it or don't know where it is, you can ask for a redelivery. You might be able to get a refund in some circumstances.

2. Defective goods

If something’s gone wrong with an item you’ve bought, you might be entitled to a refund, repair or replacement. You’ll have legal rights if the item you bought is:

• broken or damaged ('not of satisfactory quality')
• unusable (‘not fit for purpose’)
• not what was advertised or doesn’t match the seller’s description"

3. What if I change my mind?

• If you buy in store, you don’t have a legal right to return goods if you’ve simply changed your mind. Lots of shops have their own policies and do allow this, but time limits can vary.
• If you buy online you usually get a right to cancel, known as a cooling off period, but there are exemptions including bespoke or personalised goods, and computer software where the seal is broken.

4. Pay safe

• Pay by card so you have another form of protection if there’s a problem. The other way would be by making a chargeback or section 75 claim to your card provider. 
• Be cautious if you’re asked to pay in an unusual way such as in iTunes vouchers, crypto currency or via bank transfer as this could be the sign of a scam. 

5. Making a return

• Get proof of your return - a receipt from a shop or proof of postage. If you pay for return postage check the service you use covers the value of the goods.
• Using a service that includes tracking means you can prove when a trader received your return. 

For information and advice, visit the  Citizens Advice Rochdale website - casort.org.