For Black Friday, don't forget your right of withdrawal

This will probably not have escaped your notice in recent days if you hang around a little on the Internet or in the streets: Black Friday is coming. If this short period of sales (which today we could call Black Month, but let's move on) is a good opportunity to treat yourself at a lower cost, no one is safe from disappointment or change of mind. Fortunately, as the European Consumer Center France reminded us on November 21, the European Union offers the right of withdrawal on many products.

Some rules to follow

Let us first remember that this right of withdrawal works for any sale made remotely. This is therefore the case for purchases made online, but also by telephone or by mail. If you plan to rush into online products sold by Amazon, Fnac and others, you are therefore eligible.

Whether it's a piece of clothing that's the wrong size or a tech product that doesn't work as expected, many types of products are affected by this right of withdrawal. However, this is not the case for consumable products (cosmetics and hygiene, food, medicines, etc.), personalized products (such as a photo album or tailor-made clothing) or a digital product (ebook, video game, subscription). streaming…). The same goes for services linked to a specific date, such as hotel reservations or train, plane or concert tickets.

Finally, this right of withdrawal can be used within 14 days from delivery of the product. Some sellers may offer more, while once your return request is accepted, you will have an additional 14 days to return your product following the seller's instructions.

To make a withdrawal request, simply contact the seller concerned. This can be done by email, by form or even via written chat. You may be asked for proof of purchase.

If some sellers take care of paying the return costs (immediately or via reimbursement after receipt), most of the time these will be the responsibility of the buyer. Finally, for large packages that cannot be returned by post, please note that the seller must notify you of possible return costs before purchasing. If he has not done so, he will be responsible for paying for the return of the package.