What to watch for if you’re buying gifts early - Martyn James

Nothing is ever simple though these days. No matter how prepared you are, there are always duff deals, fraudsters and sneaky retailer tricks to watch out for. Here’s my guide.

Too good to be true?

If you’re looking for inspiration, then it’s hard to avoid the temptation of advertisements that pop up on social media. Alternatively, some in-demand, big-ticket gifts might only be available through groups on sites like Facebook or through TikTok.

Don’t click or commit without doing some research. Many of the shops advertising on social media aren’t based in the UK. This can mean a lengthy delay while you wait for the items to arise, hefty postal charges or even an extra bill from customs.

Many of the items for sale through these online advertisements are rubbish. It’s virtually impossible to be able to tell what the quality of the goods is like from the photos. It’s clear that AI is now being used to ‘enhance’ some of the products on sale too. So pop online and check out review sites and comments from other shoppers to get a feel for whether the shop has a reputation for quality… or if it’s a load of old tat. And never trust sales from private sellers on social media groups.

Sorting out problems

There’s one thing we should all do before shopping online. Check the ‘contact us’ page.

Before you buy anything, have a think about what you’d do if the goods don’t turn up or aren’t as advertised. Many of the biggest online retailers used by shoppers in the UK don’t have phone numbers, which is outrageous in my opinion. Ask yourself if you want to give a retailer your business if it doesn’t want to talk to you.

Next up, check the returns policy. Just because a business has a UK website address doesn’t mean it’s based in the UK. Check out the instructions for returns, if there’s a charge and where the shop is based. If no address is given, be suspicious. Chances are it’s abroad.

Projected delivery times

I’ve seen examples of some retailers promising next day delivery on some items, only to give a much later date at checkout. You can cancel and get a full refund if you spot that the retailer has done this.

The rules around delivery dates are clear cut. You are entitled to expect your goods to be delivered on the agreed date that you were given when your order was placed. If no date was given or agreed, the trader must get your purchases to you within 30 days of the order being placed. If this does not happen, you are entitled to a full refund. If you paid a supplement for a specified time or date of delivery, you can ask for this back.

Ask questions about stock levels

Why not contact the business and ask them if they actually have the items you want in stock? Get them to confirm in writing when the item is due and don’t order without a confirmed delivery day and confirmation of reservation.

Get a gift receipt

We’ve all got so used to shopping online that we’ve forgotten one of the great perks of buying in person. Most shops will give you a gift receipt for gifts you buy in-store. I love gift receipts because they allow the person you're buying for to sneakily take the item back and exchange it in the shop – and you never have to know about it. So no hurt feelings.

You can get gift receipts for online purchases too, but bear in mind if you are buying early, the timescales might have expired when you give the gift. So always check the goods are correct and working before wrapping!

Martyn James is a leading consumer rights campaigner, TV and radio broadcaster and journalist. Get more of his expertise at this link.