Guides › Faulty Goods and Refunds › Bought in a Sale or on Black Friday: Your Rights
Bought in a Sale or on Black Friday: Your Rights
Goods bought in a sale, including Black Friday deals, have exactly the same legal rights as full-price items if they are faulty, not as described or not fit for purpose. What can differ is the shop's own change-of-mind policy, which is often shorter for sale items. Online orders still have the 14-day cancellation right.
At a Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
Sale Items
GOV.UK
Customers have exactly the same rights to refunds for sale items as for full-price items. source
Returns Policies
Shops often reduce the amount of time you have to return items bought in a sale. Online, you must tell the seller you do not want the item within 14 days of receiving it. source
Trading Standards
You are legally entitled to goods as described, free from defects and fit for purpose, and to a refund, repair or replacement if not. Keep receipts and raise problems with the retailer as soon as possible. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. source
Shopping Safely
Citizens Advice Tips
Even though prices are reduced, your consumer rights are fully protected. Unless you bought online, shops are not legally required to accept returns of unwanted goods. Be careful not to end up with a counterfeit item, and check the website address starts with https and shows a padlock. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- 14 daysCancel an online orderFrom delivery
- 6 yearsClaim for a faulty item5 years in Scotland
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 5
Check the returns policy before you buy, as sale windows can be shorter.
Step 2 of 5
Keep receipts and order emails.
Step 3 of 5
Pay by card for extra protection.
Step 4 of 5
Check deliveries straight away.
Step 5 of 5
If faulty, ask for a refund, repair or replacement in writing.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
The Seller
Complain in writing first.
Citizens Advice Consumer Service
Free advice; can pass cases to Trading Standards.
Good to Know
Small things that make your complaint stronger.
Sellers do not have to give a refund for a fault they told you about before you bought.
Want Help?
If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 13 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- gov.uk/accepting-returns-and-giving-refunds Checked 13 October 2026
- citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/changed-your-mind/changing-your-mind-about-something-youve-bought Checked 13 October 2026
- staffordshire.gov.uk/newsroom/2025/know-your-consumer-rights-ahead-black-friday-shopping-sprees Checked 13 October 2026
- citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/press-releases/citizens-advice-top-tips-for-safe-and-savvy-consumers-on-black-friday Checked 13 October 2026
- citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/if-you-need-more-help-about-a-consumer-issue Checked 8 October 2026