Sutherland residents warned to be aware of dodgy products in Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales

Advice has been issued to Sutherland residents to prevent them being caught out by counterfeit or problematic products in this year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.

Experts at Advice Direct Scotland (ADS), which runs the national consumer advice service consumeradvice.scot, urge people to be "savvy shoppers" when looking for bargains.

Colin Mathieson, spokesperson for ADS, said: “Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales are great opportunity for people to grab a bargain, with some amazing deals both in shops and online.

“However, it is important to be aware of the risks involved in buying potentially counterfeit or problematic items. It can be extremely difficult to tell the real from the fake, particularly when shopping online."

This week's Black Friday (November 25) is followed by Cyber Monday (November 28), with many retailers offering cut-price deals in store and online. But the charity warns that opportunities for bargains bring a risk of people buying counterfeit or substandard products that may not be safe. ADS also stresses that in many cases, if a deal sounds too good to be true then it probably is.

consumeradvice.scot has put together a list of top tips for people to follow to avoid being caught out during the sale season:

• Avoid the counterfeits – Counterfeit cosmetics and other products can pose health and safety issues and have a shorter lifespan than genuine goods from trusted retailers. Buying cheap can mean buying twice.
• Check the packaging or manufacturer information – Counterfeit goods will often come in different packaging to the genuine article. This may include spelling mistakes, a lack of safety marks and missing or vague manufacturer address information like postal or web addresses). Check for evidence of testing on cosmetic products and avoid anything untested, or unregulated.
• Consult with the manufacturer – When something is sold out online, there may be alternatives available elsewhere. Check with manufacturers and purchase goods from reputable suppliers and websites. This could save you time and allow proper recourse if things do go wrong.
• Know your seller – Check where the purchase is coming from – your rights may differ if the retailer you are purchasing from is based outside of the UK or EU.
• Keep Calm and Stay Savvy – Don’t get carried away with unnecessary or unaffordable purchases.
• Avoid purchasing if at all unsure – Don’t be rushed into a sale by the offer of lower prices and limited stock. Weigh up your options. If it sounds too good to be true – it probably is.

Colin Mathieson added: “We would encourage consumers to check that the goods they are purchasing are genuine, by following our top tips including buying from reputable retailers.

“And, as always, people should remember that if something sounds too good to be true then there’s a high chance that it is.”

More information on a range of consumer-related topics is available at consumeradvice.scot’s Knowledge Centre at consumeradvice.scot/knowledge-centre/

People can seek help and advice by contacting consumer advisers on 0808 164 6000, by email at advice@consumeradvice.scot, or via the service’s web chat function.

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