The winter sales will officially open from Wednesday January 8, 2025 to Tuesday February 4, 2025.
The 2025 winter sales are being prepared in stores and on online sales sites: Clothing, shoes, household appliances, furniture… Everything can be the subject of this winter promotion provided that certain administrative constraints are respected. primarily to protect consumers.
Don't confuse sales and promotions
Sale items must always be clearly distinguished from non-sale items. Items benefiting from a “Promotion” or the “New Collection” price presentation must be easily identifiable and any confusion impossible. Failure to do so may constitute a deceptive commercial practice.
Since May 2022, professionals are required to calculate the price reduction on the basis of the previous price, i.e. the lowest charged during the last thirty days preceding the application of the “Sales” reduction. This previous price must be displayed next to the sale price. Abuses are regularly observed: after inflating prices some time before the sales, some sellers promise significant discounts. Thus, the reduction does not exist or is, in reality, less significant than that displayed.
The reduction can be made by handing over at the checkout, this method must then be announced and the advantage announced is in relation to the reference price (- 30% on yellow labels, – 50% on green labels, etc.): the final price with the discount will then be communicated at checkout, based on the previous price.
“neither returned nor exchanged”
An indication without legal significance. An item on sale benefits from the same guarantees as any other item (non-apparent manufacturing defects, lack of conformity, after-sales service). Thus, a merchant cannot indicate “neither returned nor exchanged” under the pretext that the item is on sale. He must make an exchange or refund in the event of a non-apparent manufacturing defect (hidden defect) in the item. It's a different story if you change your mind about size or color. he is not required to trade and if he can do so it will be on a commercial basis.
Avoid the pitfalls
Before you decide, carefully study the value for money, and make comparisons between several sellers, including on the Internet. Ideally, spot prices before sales. Pay attention to additional fees, delivery fees, package preparation fees, handling fees and check the return policy.
Beware of scams which tend to multiply
Many fraud attempts use emails or SMS messages to request an additional payment (often low, for example 2 euros) on a website or by calling a premium rate number. Fraudsters pretend to be the most well-known delivery companies (La Poste, DHL, Colissimo, UPS, etc.) and use, for example, insufficient shipping costs to ultimately recover banking information.
Abuses are regularly observed: after inflating prices some time before the sales, some sellers promise significant discounts. Thus, the reduction does not exist or is, in reality, less significant than that displayed.
