Money expert Martin Lewis issued an apology to three of his viewers after he stunned them with a warning about legal return rights when buying in-store.
Speaking on the latest episode of The Martin Lewis Money Show Live on ITV1 and catchup service ITVX, the Money Saving Expert founder left a few fans unhappy when he pointed out a little known fact about shopping rights.
Consumer champion Martin pointed out that if you’re shopping in-store this Christmas, you don’t actually have a legal, statutory, right to return an unwanted item unless it’s faulty.
This is different to online shopping, where you have 14 days (known as Distance Selling Regulations).
Martin, breaking this news on his ITV show, then apologised to three women in his audience who he said ‘didn’t like that’.
Martin explained: “If you bought an item in store but it didn’t look good on you, what are your legal return rights?”
Martin said that only 42 percent of his X followers got the question right in his poll, and added: “You have no right to anything. Which I’m about to explain and is shocking for many people.”
He then stopped proceedings and pointed to some of his audience members and said, “Sorry, there are three ladies here who do NOT like that answer, do you?
“They were looking at me like ‘I do no think so!’, well I’m sorry, you need to listen carefully here.
“You have NO legal return rights for goods bought in-store, unless they’re faulty.
“So the shop may have its own policy, it may publish its return rights, in which case it’s a contractual right, but your statutory rights, your in law rights, means you can’t take it back.
“And it’s important at this time of year during the Christmas sales and the January sales, sometimes if they normally have contractual rights, they suspend them.
“So if you’re buying stuff in store, know unless it’s faulty you can’t take it back so check beforehand if you are planning to try it on when you get it home that you do actually have and they have a returns policy, not a returns right.
“Now you do have your right to change your mind for online purchases, you’ve got 14 days to notify them and then 14 days after notification to send it back so maximum 28 days.”