Consumer watchdog issues Black Friday dodgy discount warning ahead of Boxing Day sales

Australia’s consumer watchdog has issued a major warning ahead of end-of-year sales, urging people to beware of online retailers twisting the truth about the real savings on offer.

A thorough sweep of online stores by the consumer watchdog has found retailers are pushing dodgy and confusing “site-wide” discounts.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) ran the ruler over websites offering Black Friday deals, finding misleading “was/now” prices, dubious claims about discounts and evidently untrue “site-wide” sales.

“We know that many consumers rely on sales to save money when shopping for products, especially during this time of cost of living pressure, and when people may be seeking to save up for holidays and festivities,” commission deputy chair Catriona Lowe said.

“Retailers must not seek to take advantage of this by misleading consumers.”

The ACCC says shoppers should be on the lookout for dodgy sales come Boxing Day too. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

The ACCC has asked multiple retailers to justify their advertising claims, will continue trawling, and is warning consumers to be mindful of these sales issues particularly for the Boxing Day sales.

Australian Consumer Law dictates businesses cannot engage in misleading or deceptive conduct, or make false or misleading claims about prices and discounts.

Claims that items are discounted by a further percentage are often difficult to find when shoppers actual search the website. Picture: ACCC

Examples of retailers that advertise ‘sitewide’ sales when in fact there are a range of products which are excluded from the sale. Picture: ACCC

The consumer watchdog has found numerous examples of online retailers spruiking site-wide Black Friday sales, when in reality some items for purchase do not receive the discount. Further, some retailers tack on disclaimers, explaining that in reality the site-wide deals are for members only.

Retailers are making a point of the recommended retail price, when they have not even been selling the product at that price.

Stores also use “up to X per cent off” markings and very few items have that full percentage discount.

“We have seen many instances of appropriate and accurate advertising during the Black Friday sales,” Ms Lowe said.

“These include prominent exclusions and accurate claims about the scope of sales.”

The ACCC’s research will go toward figuring out if businesses have artificially increased the price of goods to create the perception of a bigger sale.

Originally published as Consumer watchdog issues Black Friday dodgy discount warning ahead of Boxing Day sales