Dates, duration and tips for purchases

Today starts the Winter Sale in Rome and Lazio. According to a decision of the regional council, sales of discounted products started from today – Thursday, January 5th. It will last six weeks, until mid-February, during which time Romans will try to snatch clothes at particularly discounted prices, as confirmed by a recent study by Confcommercio. Which also highlights that this year’s sales budget is, for the vast majority of citizens, lower than the previous year, with an expected average expenditure of 167 euros.

Winter sales in Rome, when they start and how long they last

It officially began on Thursday, January 5, the day before the Epiphany, and will continue until February 15. The same duration as last year, when the region was still in the “yellow” zone and shopping was still subject to the use of masks.

Therefore, the dates set for last year by the decision of the Regional Council on November 30, 2021 remain confirmed, which stipulated that the start date of winter sales be the first day before Epiphany, according to the terms of the approved agreement. By the Conference of Autonomous Regions and Provinces. And also a ban on promotional sales in the 30 days prior to the start date of the winter sales, specifically to prevent discounts from being implemented during the Christmas period and overlapping with Black Friday, traditionally set at the end of November.

“The end-of-season sales are an important moment for merchants and consumers – said the regional advisor for economic development, Paolo Ornelli – we hope that they can give a boost to consumption in a particularly difficult situation for families, workers and companies”.

Winter sales, shopping tips for consumers

City shopkeepers are willing to entice customers with discounts and promotions, hoping that they can, in turn, ameliorate, at least in part, the fate of a hyperinflationary winter. More spending, especially from an energy point of view, and less spending on the part of the Romans has greatly reduced the income of small entrepreneurs, who are being threatened by e-commerce giants. And while requests arrive from trade associations to impose a specific tax – The so-called “web tax” – To mitigate competition, consumers return to advice on how to make purchases without falling into potential “rigs”.

Altroconsumo, in particular, has issued a short booklet that lists the points to keep in mind when looking for sales, emphasizing that the exchange of non-defective products is at the discretion of the shopkeeper, and that before buying it is advisable to ask how it is done. For how long it is possible to substitute an item and what happens if a replacement product is not available.

Moreover, the guarantee also applies to products for sale: if the product is found to be defective or incompatible, within two years of purchase, the shopkeeper is obliged to repair or replace it within a reasonable time. In the event that this is not possible, the customer can obtain a reduction or a refund of the price paid.

Among other recommendations, compare the old price with the lower one. In all regions, it is necessary to report at least the normal selling price and discount percentage, specifically to let customers understand how much they are saving. Moreover, sold goods must be offered for sale separately from non-discounted goods.

Balances and electronic payments

Regarding prices and payments, Altroconsumo indicates that the prices offered are binding on the seller: if a price or discount is applied other than those mentioned at the checkout, it is necessary to indicate to the shopkeeper and, in case of problems, to contact the municipal police.

Furthermore, from June 30, 2022, those who do not accept payments by debit and credit cards can be penalized (a fine of 30 euros to which a fee equivalent to 4% of the value of the rejected transaction is added). So the store owner is required to accept digital payments even during sales periods. Finally, payments made by card cannot be increased in price and no additional fees can be applied.