If your item was bought online, over the phone or by mail order, as a customer you have consumer returns rights under the Consumer Contracts Regulations.

The Consumer Contracts Regulations gives you a cancellation period that starts the moment you place your order and ends 14 days from the day you receive your goods.

You then have a further 14 days from the date you notify the retailer that you’d like to cancel your order to return the goods to them.

We’ve put together advice on the additional consumer returns rights you have when purchasing goods online in our online returns guide.

You have the legal right to a refund if you return your faulty good within 30 days of receiving it, regardless of what the store’s return policy says.

If you don’t reject the goods within the first 30 days, and find a fault within the first six months of possessing your faulty goods, you’ll need to give the retailer a chance to make a repair or replacement. If that’s unsuccessful, you can then ask for a refund.

1. A receipt – always keep your receipt and take it with you. If you’re buying a gift for someone else, ask for a gift receipt so that they can change it themselves.
2. The card you paid with – if you paid for an item on a debit or credit card, take it with you when you return the item. This is especially important if you want a refund as its often credited to the card you paid with.
3. The original packaging – we’ve said it already, but don’t underestimate the importance of taking the item’s original packaging with you. Even down to the pesky cable ties.