Can you refund something you bought at full price then buy it straight back in sale?

Artofshredding

Hi,does anybody know the law around returning an item bought at full price and buying it back now it's in the sale?

soolin

Assuming you meet the terms of the refund in any individual shop then there is nothing to stop you returning an item.

Obviously you have to rely on that same item still being available on the shop floor in the sale, and you can't insist on buying the one you have just returned, but at the sale price.

wealdroam

And further to Soolin's points...

The shop can refuse a sale to anyone.
So if the shop think you are taking advantage, for example, they could process the refund and refuse your offer to purchase at the lower price.

Unlikely, but you did ask about the law.

bluenoseam

Law also would dictate that as there is no fault with the product the retailer is perfectly within their rights to refuse to return the item if it's bought in store. Most will as a good will gesture return it but legally, they're under no obligation to do so if I remember right.

unholyangel

bluenoseam wrote: »

Law also would dictate that as there is no fault with the product the retailer is perfectly within their rights to refuse to return the item if it's bought in store. Most will as a good will gesture return it but legally, they're under no obligation to do so if I remember right.

Sort of. If the retailer offers a returns policy, then they'd have to uphold that as that would form part of your contractual rights (rather than statutory).

But if the store offers no returns policy, then they wouldn't have to accept it back unless it somehow failed to conform to contract (soga doesn't just cover faulty goods).

soolin

bluenoseam wrote: »

Law also would dictate that as there is no fault with the product the retailer is perfectly within their rights to refuse to return the item if it's bought in store. Most will as a good will gesture return it but legally, they're under no obligation to do so if I remember right.

That's right, and that's why I started my response with "Assuming you meet the terms of the refund in any individual shop".

Most but not all high street shops do seem to offer change of mind returns, and if that is stated on the receipt or within the shop then they must abide by it - as long as buyer complies with any requirements of time scale etc.