Women are far more inclined to re-gift unwanted presents than men while the latter are considerably more likely to simply use gifts they don’t like, according to new research from Ireland’s consumer watchdog.
Men are also more prone to leaving presents that don’t take their fancy unopened, the new study from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) suggests.
According to the pre-Christmas poll published on Friday, 35 per cent of women said they are likely to re-gift presents compared with 24 per cent of men.
At 23 per cent, men were found to be almost twice as likely to use gifts they did not like than women but also more likely to leave them unopened with 14 per cent of men saying presents were sometimes left untouched compared with 9 per cent of women.
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A significant percentage of Irish shoppers are also unsure of their rights when it comes to returning faulty goods, according to the CCPC research.
As many as one in four shoppers are unaware that it is the retailer rather than the manufacturer who is solely responsible in the event that goods turn out to be faulty, according to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
A further 45 per cent of those polled thought the return period for a faulty item depends on the length of the product guarantee or warranty, and did not know the statutory rights always trump additional protections offered by retailers or manufacturers.
According to the study, 43 per cent thought they only had up to 28 days to return faulty goods even though under Irish consumer rights law consumers are protected for up to six years after the purchase of faulty goods
Consumers also have rights when goods are not faulty. For all online purchases, consumers benefit from a 14-day cancellation window, plus 14 days to return unwanted items.
For in-store purchases, policies vary from store to store and it is important to note that stores aren’t obliged to accept returns unless the item is faulty.
“If you are returning gifts after Christmas, make sure you know your rights as a consumer,” said CCPC director of communications Gráinne Griffin. “Your rights are in addition to any warranty or guarantee and they can last much longer. If something is faulty or not as advertised, your rights to a repair, replacement or refund are strongest in the first year but can last up to six years.”
Ms Griffin stressed that “regardless of whether you have a guarantee or warranty, if a retailer sells you a faulty item, then they are responsible for resolving the issue — you do not have to deal with the manufacturer or warranty provider.”
Meanwhile, a third of respondents never include gift receipts with Christmas presents, potentially leading to difficulties with returns or exchanges.
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