Summer sales begin tomorrow on the island: here are the rules for shopping at your best.

The summer sales begin tomorrow across Italy. According to estimates from the Confcommercio Research Office, this year each family will spend an average of €201 on discounted clothing—equal to €91 per capita—for a total value of €3.2 billion. In Sardinia, the average spend is estimated by Confcommercio Sud Sardegna at €160.

Giulio Felloni, President of Federazione Moda Italia-Confcommercio, comments: "With the start of the summer sales, consumer interest in this event continues to be high. It represents a great opportunity to choose more carefully, find quality items at great prices, and add value to your purchases. The sales are certainly a time of convenience, but also an invitation to buy better: fewer disposable products, greater awareness, and longer-lasting products."

"Shopping in fashion stores," Felloni continues, "means being able to count on selection, advice, and transparency , as well as supporting local businesses and the economic fabric of our regions. It's a way to combine savings, style, and responsibility, rewarding a more thoughtful and sustainable consumption model."

THE RULES – For the proper purchase of sale items, Federazione Moda Italia and Confcommercio remind you of some basic principles. First, regarding exchanges: the possibility of exchanging an item after purchase is generally left to the discretion of the retailer , unless the product is damaged or non-compliant (Legislative Decree no. 206 of 6 September 2005, Consumer Code). In this case, the retailer is obliged to repair or replace the item and, if this proves impossible, to reduce or refund the price paid. The buyer is, however, required to report the defect within two months of discovering it.

Unlike purchases in physical stores, online orders can be returned or exchanged within 14 days of receipt, regardless of whether there is a defect.

There's no obligation to try on items ; it's left to the retailer's discretion. As for payments, the retailer must accept credit cards, and cashless payments are encouraged.

With regard to products on sale, items offered on sale must be seasonal or trendy and likely to significantly depreciate if not sold within a certain period of time. Also, pay attention to the price indication : retailers are required to indicate the regular selling price, the discount, and the final price.

(Unioneonline)