Shoppers get set for January sales

As if the Christmas present buying frenzy wasn't enough: two thirds of us will be heading for the shops again in the New Year to check out the January sales – equating to around 31 million sales shoppers throughout the UK.

New research from Halifax Card Services reveals that it is impulse purchasing – browsing rather than shopping for specific items - that drives the majority of sales shoppers.

The New Year Spenders

The Halifax Card Services research also shows that 38% of New Year sale shoppers normally spend at least £50 each.

However, men are the surprise sale spenders. 21% of men normally spend £100 or more in the January sales, in comparison to only 14% of women.

The 35-44 age group are the biggest spenders with 31% of this age group spending more than £100 on average, compared to only 18% of 18-24s.

On average, people in Northern Ireland say they spend the most with the typical sale shopper indicating they spend around £140.

Impulse Drives Sales

Impulse purchases are the most common form of buying in the January sales. Only 22% of sales shoppers make a list or have a specific item in mind before heading off to the shops, with the majority of us preferring to browse for bargains.

By far the most popular purchase in the New Year sales is clothing, footwear and accessories – these items make up the bulk of purchases for 65% of sales shoppers.

Electrical goods are also popular sales items with 13% of shoppers saying that the majority of their purchases will be of this type of product.

Budgeting Goes Out of the Window

It seems we throw caution to the wind when it comes to the prospect of picking up a bargain at the sales - most people who shop in the New Year sales (78%) do not allocate themselves a set budget before heading out to the shops.

However, of those who do set a budget for spending, nearly half (48%) will stick to it whilst a further 47% will sometimes stick to it.

Just over half of shoppers (51%) who sometimes or always go over budget will exceed their limits by £50 or less but a significant proportion (26%) normally overspend by between £50 and £100.

Second Thoughts?

Yet how many of us have got home with our bags of bargains only to find that we have made a rash decision under the stress of battling the crowds and the dash to get to the till?

Knowing your rights both before and after you have made a purchase can be invaluable.

Peter Jackson, Head of Products, Halifax, comments: "After spending in the run up to Christmas, it can make a welcome change to buy something for ourselves in the January sales. But, we often buy in haste because an item has been reduced, or as a result of the pressure to find a bargain.

"Although your rights as a consumer shouldn't change just because an item is in the sale, it makes sense to ensure you know exactly where you stand before you buy."

According to the Halifax research, debit and credit cards are both popular methods for paying for purchases in the sales, used by 57% and 38% of shoppers respectively – and can offer the consumer some additional protection if things go wrong. If you pay with a credit card for purchases with a cash price above £100 and not more than £30,000 you are entitled to claim from your card provider in some circumstances, such as if the supplier breaches the contract or goes bankrupt.

Halifax has put together the following advice for New Year sales shoppers to bear in mind:

1. If items are faulty then you don't need to produce a receipt for a refund/exchange, although it is still recommended. However, if you are returning something simply because you don't want it anymore, shops are not legally obliged to return your money (although many will). The Office of Fair Trading (www.oft.gov.uk) also gives clear guidelines.

2. Faulty goods are the retailers' responsibility not the manufacturer's. So if you have to return a faulty item take it back to the shop you bought it from, not to the company who made it. Visit Consumer Direct for further details (www.consumerdirect.gov.uk).

3. If something doesn't meet its specification you are also entitled to a refund or exchange. For example, if a pair of shoes fall apart the first time you wear them.

4. If an item needs to be repaired, you can expect it to be fixed within a reasonable length of time and without causing you any significant inconvenience. More information about repairs can be found from consumer group Which? (www.which.co.uk).

5. If you need to return items which are heavy, bulky or hard to maneuver, you can ask the retailer to collect from you.

6. There are occasions when you do not really have any grounds for complaint. For instance, if you were made aware of any faults before you purchased, or if the fault was so obvious you should have seen it yourself, if you created the damage yourself, or if you just changed your mind about it. To find more information about this, explore the Citizen's Advice Bureau online service www.adviceguide.org.uk.

7. If you have bought an item which was sold as 'seconds' then you cannot expect it to be in perfect condition and this will be taken into consideration for any claims for refunds, repairs or exchanges you make.

8. Always keep your receipts in a safe place in case you need to return or exchange items. If you lose your receipts you can use bank statements or credit card bills as alternative proof of purchase. Your rights should still apply if you can prove you bought it.