If you shopped for the Christmas season or took advantage of promotions like Black Friday, it’s natural to wonder about your rights in the event of a return or exchange. Portuguese law guarantees consumer protection, but does not always allow faultless products to be returned. Knowing the deadlines and conditions is essential to avoid surprises.
Physical stores: exchange is not mandatory
According to experts from the DECO PROteste portal, merchants have no legal obligation to accept returns or exchanges in physical stores. Still, it is common practice during festive seasons for some establishments to allow exchanges for purchased products, even during advance promotions.
According to the same source, when the exchange is accepted, merchants can impose conditions, such as offering a gift card instead of a cash refund.
Before completing the purchase, it is advisable to confirm with the store whether the exchange is possible, the deadline and how it will be processed. In many cases, a return slip, with or without value, known as a gift slip, is provided, which simplifies the process.
Online shopping: 14 days of reflection
When purchasing online, the law guarantees the consumer a period of 14 days, counting from receipt of the order, to return the product. Some stores voluntarily extend this period up to 30 days. There are, however, exceptions: personalized products or products with specific characteristics may not be returned.
The exchange may also be refused if the item is not defective or if the consumer knew about the problem at the time of purchase.
Perishable products or those with a short shelf life, such as cakes or other foods, can only be returned if they are not as ordered or if they have been poorly prepared. Still, many stores make the exchange out of courtesy, maintaining a good relationship with the customer.
Legal guarantee and complaints
Since 2022, legal guarantees for movable assets, whether new or refurbished, have been updated. If a defect appears within the first 30 days after delivery, the consumer can immediately demand a replacement of the product or a full refund.
If the trader refuses, the complaint can be filed in the complaints book or through the Reclamar platform, with the support of DECO PROteste. It is recommended to keep invoices, receipts and purchase communications, as they are crucial for resolving the conflict.
Knowing consumer rights is essential to avoid problems. While in physical stores the exchange depends on the merchant’s policy, for online purchases there is a legal period of 14 days, except in specific situations.
In any scenario, defective products can be replaced or refunded, being the reference to guide the consumer and mediate conflicts when necessary.
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