The winter sales, one of the most anticipated events in the commercial calendar, are starting. It starts tomorrow in Valle d’Aosta, while from Saturday 3 January the discounts will affect all other regions. According to estimates by the Confcommercio Research Office, there will be around 16 million families involved, with an average expenditure of 137 euros per person and a total turnover estimated at 4.9 billion euros.
Quality at affordable prices
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“The sales represent a fundamental moment for the relaunch of fashion consumption and for supporting the purchasing power of Italian families”, underlines the president of the Italian Fashion Federation-Confcommercio, Giulio Felloni. An opportunity which, he added, generates widespread benefits: “on the one hand it allows consumers to purchase quality and durable products at affordable prices, on the other it contributes to making urban centers more lively and attractive”.
Tourist attraction
According to Felloni, the sales also have a strong tourist appeal, encouraging an increase in the flow of Italian and foreign visitors attracted by an authentic shopping experience. “An experience – he specified – based on real convenience, transparency and trust, guaranteed by a certain start date throughout the national territory and a defined duration”. Furthermore, during the discount period, the service and advice of merchants encourage more conscious and sustainable purchases, oriented towards quality and far from the logic of disposable products.
Consumer protections
Finally, Confcommercio recalls some fundamental rules to protect consumers. The possibility of changing a purchased item is generally at the discretion of the shopkeeper, except in the case of a defective or non-compliant product, for which the repair, replacement or refund obligations set out in the Consumer Code are triggered. For online purchases, the right of withdrawal remains valid within 14 days of delivery, with the exception of personalized or tailor-made products.
The test of the leaders and the rules
The testing of the garments is not mandatory and is left to the operator’s choice. Electronic payments must be accepted and cashless systems must be favored. Sale products must be seasonal or fashionable and subject to depreciation over time. It is also mandatory to indicate the original price, the discount applied and the final price: for the entire duration of the sales, the initial reference price must be the lowest charged in the 30 days prior to the start of the discounts. To support consumers and retailers, Confcommercio reports the initiatives promoted throughout the national territory by the Italian Fashion Federation, including “Clear and Safe Sales”, “Transparent Sales” and “Quiet Sales”.
