"Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday": Consumption recommends local shops and buying on secure websites

The General Directorate of Consumption advises in the special discount period of “Black Friday” – November 26- and “Cyber Monday” – November 29 – to buy in the local shops, to leave “less carbon footprint, generate work and unite towns and cities” and provides advice on detecting secure websites.

According to the National Institute of Statistics, the Balearic Islands are at the forefront of electronic consumption in internet purchases. In this sense, Consumption launches the message of safe shopping and recalls that the best formula and the one most committed to the environment is proximity shopping.

For this reason, the cartoonist Álex Fito has created a cartoon that reflects the importance of the consumption of Km 0 to leave a minimum carbon footprint. “Opting for the local product stimulates local commerce and increases the competitiveness of commerce and the primary sector of the Balearic Islands”, assures Félix Alonso, general director of Consumption.

Consumers’ Rights in Internet Purchases

Consumption advises making the electronic purchase on secure pages. The “s” in a web address (https instead of http) means that the site is secure. Another way to identify a secure page is the appearance on the screen of a closed padlock or a key – if you double click on the padlock or the key, information about the security certificate will appear.

It is also recommended to check the original price of the product, if it includes VAT and if it has shipping costs or not, so that you can identify what the discount really is.

Consumers must ensure that they identify the person responsible for the website or provider entity (name, address, CIF).

Consumption reminds that the buyer has the right of withdrawal, of which he must have been informed. This allows, without the need to state any reason, to cancel the contract for a minimum period of fourteen calendar days from the day of receipt of the product.

Finally, you always have to keep a copy of the purchase operations carried out. At the end of the purchase order, a page should appear that summarizes the operation (it is advisable that buyers keep a copy, even in the event of some type of incident or operation failed due to computer error).

Claim and complaint

All companies must have official complaint and complaint forms. If the company is attached to the Consumer Arbitration System, it is a guarantee in the event of a complaint. The consumer, if he considers that his rights have not been respected, can file a claim in the consumer services of the autonomous communities, in the municipal consumer information offices of the town halls, in the consumer and user associations, and in the consumer arbitration boards.

If you reside in Spain but want to claim against a company from another EU member state, Norway or Iceland, you can do so through the European Consumer Center and in the courts of law.