Sales start in Spain: Consumer group reminds shoppers what to watch out for

Big names are typically the first to slash their prices – Spanish chain Mango and Swedish store H&M began in Madrid this weekend and are expected to start this week elsewhere in the country, whilst the Inditex chain – Zara, Bershka, Stradivarius, Massimo Dutti, Uterqüe, Pull&Bear, Oysho and Zara Home – plus El Corte Inglés department store will begin their summer sale season this coming Saturday, June 28.

Leading national consumer organisation, the OCU, has published a raft of recommendations to ensure shoppers keep safe and are not blinded by low prices – which, from an average of 30% off at the beginning of the sales, can drop to up to 80% off by the end.

Firstly, and most obviously, is to avoid impulse buys; customers are advised to make a list before they set off of what they really need or want, set a budget and stick to it, and to take a walk and some time out before committing to a purchase, to allow them to think about it in full.

Secondly, retailers are obliged to comply with a series of legal requirements, and consumers should make sure they do so.

All goods in the sales must have their original price tag displayed on them, so shoppers know how much they are saving.

Nothing should change about the goods or the offers, except the price – the same guarantees apply, which is a minimum of two years for electrical items, and the quality must not be in any way diminished.

If an item is of lesser quality, such as an item of clothing with a tear or a button missing, this should be clearly indicated, and it is normally recommended they be sold with an even lower price, since many shoppers do not mind buying something they need to do some sewing with if it saves them money, but have the right to know this is in fact what they are getting.

Payment methods must remain the same – for example, shops cannot insist on cash-only purchases for sales items where they would normally accept credit or debit cards at any other time of the year or on goods sold at full price.

If special conditions apply to sale items or during sale season, such as payment methods or exchange and refund options – reduced-price goods, for example, are sometimes sold on a 'no refund or exchange' basis or can only be swapped for alternative products or cash vouchers for the same amount – these must be clearly and visibly stated on signs so the consumer cannot miss them.

For online sales, customers have up to 14 days to request returns and refunds, unless clearly stated otherwise at the point of sale.

Typically, in physical shops, the 'cooling off' period is 30 days.

Price comparisons should be made with identical or similar goods, especially mass-produced branded products, since these can often be found cheaper elsewhere.

Whenever a customer feels his or her rights as a consumer, online or in a physical shop, have been breached or the requirements outlined above by the OCU have not been adhered to, they are recommended to file a complaint using a form which must always be made available upon request, and is known as an hoja de reclamación.

Where the complaint is valid, the consumer should not give up until a satisfactory and legal solution is provided, the OCU states.

Retail jobs in Spain have now begun to multiply ahead of the summer sales season which, along with the Christmas period and January sales, is when stores and boutiques make the majority of their annual profits.

Under Spanish law, shops are allowed to hold sales periods at any time of the year and whenever they want, although most stick to the original summer and winter seasons when doing so.