When the sales start

<>

We Spaniards love sales, despite the fact that all the stores are full, the chaos in business, not finding the right sizes, or sometimes finding only orphaned shoes. But, Do you know when the sales start?

We love sales, yes, but it is that, more than once, and on more than one occasion, sales take us by surprise, and with little cash to take advantage of them. His thing is to know when the sales start and be able to save and arrive comfortable.

How many sales are there per year? when they start? When are they sales and when are they just sales?

If you do not know the answers, keep reading, we teach you all that.

Sales or just special offers?

Before we go into detail about when the sales start and other details, it is necessary to know what the sales are and which are not, since brands often use euphemisms to make it clear that they are on sale, when they only promote a few offers. .

Associations like FACUA denounce that many companies deceive people in terms of percentages, periods, conditions and others, which should not be altered due to being in a sale period.

In other words, these are the conditions for a business or brand to be truly for sale:

1. The terms of payment and returns They must be the same as in any period of the year, as an example: if returns are possible in normal periods, products on sale must also be accepted.
2. The posts sold must be intactIn other words, posts with defects, faulty or for sale or liquidations should not be put up for sale.
3. It is not prohibited that offers or liquidations coexist with sales, but brands and companies must create clear divisions so that customers are not confused
4. For a company or brand to advertise in sales, at least half of your products should be affected by these
5. The Trade and brand announcements must contain start and end dates of the sales period
6. The store or brand must put the original price, along with discounted price, por lo que el client, que es usted, debe tener clara la diferencia entre los dos
7. No less important, is that you must know that any product you buy during the sales has the same guarantee and protection that the products

When you go to an ad that says something like "sale", but, as an example, they do not put the previous price next to the discount, and there is an ad warning that they do not accept returns of discounted products. ... they are not sales, they are liquidations, which are characterized exactly, with reduced prices, without returns.

If you find a scam, contact a consumer protection association; both the European Union and the Government of Spain have theirs, but there are also civil associations and NGOs like Facua that do the job.

Of course, remember to keep your purchase receipt, it is the proof of purchase and the only thing that the customer, in other words, you, has to prove the infringement that the store or brand has allegedly committed.

Destroying the sales myths

We must talk about something else: lThe myths of sale shopping.

Many persons se muestran reacias a comprar productos en oferta, sobre todo electrodomésticos y ropa, que cubren casi todas las compras en oferta.

Como ya viste en el capítulo anterior, existen garantías que todo negocio o marca debe cumplir si quiere publicar el anuncio de venta, no importa si estamos hablando de la pequeña compañía de tu barrio, o de Amazon, todo debe cumplir estrictamente con ellos.

Those myths are, among others, these:

1. The The discount guarantee is shorter: We already mentioned it to you in the previous point. The warranty period remains unchanged. If you buy a cell phone, you will have the same guarantee on sales as in October, when there is none
2. Changes or refunds are not accepted: It depends on each business and they have the obligation not to change; If the store never accepts a return, it does not have the obligation to do so in sales, but yes, if it always accepts them

• There are only sales in winter and summer: No, Even though they are the main periods of sale, the law has been changing, and they are no longer mandatory periods, but 'recommended'.

1. If I can't find the product, there will be no more: No. The companies have the obligation to provide the products or services throughout the announced term, or deliver a document so that you can acquire it, at that price, when it is available again.
2. There is no legal coverage: Yes, there are, we have commented on the main ones in the previous chapter, but there is a whole legislation that must be complied with during sales in any period, and customers have the right to claim and sue as at any time of the year

Do not be afraid to buy on sale, if you are looking to buy a refrigerator, a cell phone, a PC or the clothes of the brand that you love so much, do it, if the business, like most businesses in Spain, is enough with the Legislation, no you will not have any problem about it, and at the same time you will have it at an excellent price.

When the winter sales begin

Before we start talking about the calendar, we must explain one thing: Each autonomous community has its own regulations regarding the sales calendar. By way of example, in the Valencian Community and Andalusia, the calendars are much more flexible for companies than, for example, the Community of Madrid, which must respect certain deadlines and an extension of sales.

Regularly the the calendar begins one day after the Day of the Magi, or the business day immediately after said day, in other words, January 7 of each year, and ends on March 1.

At this moment it is the same period, but they change in each Autonomous Community, even though they always start after Reyes. In some Communities, sales come to an end from the first week of March, as has happened this year and the previous one, in which we will have the year with the longest weeks of decline in history.

When the summer sales start

It is the same as the winter period: each Autonomous Community has its own legislation in this regard, and even though the 'traditional' sales are those for winter, those for summer have also gained weight in the tradition of our country, therefore, you will know better than us, few companies are those that do not hang the sale sign in both periods.

The recommended period is from June 21 to September 30, but regularly they are from July 1 to September 1.

As an example, this year, the Valencian Community was the first to start the sales period this summer, because there the period has been completely liberalized by the previous government.

Meanwhile, in Catalonia, by way of example, an attempt is being made to prohibit companies from hanging the sale sign outside of the established deadlines.

How long should there be sales in a company?

Even though the sales period, both in winter and in summer, is two or three months, depending on each Autonomous Community, companies must meet certain durations to hang the poster.

Como puedes ver, durante el post, para que un negocio se considere en venta, debe cumplir una serie de requerimientos.

For a business to be for sale, it must be for sale for a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of two months.

Remember that the company must set the sale dates. Customers need to know when sales start and end in each business.

Can there only be sales in summer and winter?

We already mentioned before that the two previous periods are the typical and most established within the group in Spain, but two years ago the law changed a lot.

It no longer needs to be for sale in those two periods.

Thanks to this law, they are only recommended periods, but they can open the sales period practically any day of the year.

As an example, this year and last, the grAndean brands, such as El Corte Inglés, Zara or H&M advanced the summer sales and in June they had already hung the poster.

At the same time, thanks to the law, companies can open on holidays throughout the sales period.

What kind of products can be put up for sale?

Many times we wonder what products or services can or cannot be put up for sale. Others believe that any product can be discounted during this season. But it's not like that.

The truth is that only seasonal products can be lowered.

As an example: if you go to a business in August, with the sale sign, and you see a coat, heaters or typical winter products "on sale" ... they are not sales, they are offers, discounts or liquidations, but not sales.

That is the only requirement, and that they at least have the legal percentage, it really does not matter what products they are.

Yes, they can put the coat on sale, sale or sale, but they must separate and make badges that clarify to customers that, even when they are at a better price, they are not part of the sales of the rest of the store.