The 2025 Festive Smart Shopper Guide: Know Your Rights, Shop with Confidence🛍️

The sales are calling — but are you ready for what’s really behind the deals? Before you click “Buy Now” or sign that lay-bye, take a minute to pause.

Every year, South Africans face a wave of product disputes, false advertising, and delivery dramas over the festive season. This is your Solace 2025 Legal Survival Guide — helping you shop smart, assert your rights, and stay protected under the South African law.

1. The Law Is on Your Side

The Consumer Protection Act68 of 2008 (CPA) exists to safeguard every South African shopper. It ensures you’re treated fairly, given truthful information, and protected against exploitation.

Here’s what you’re entitled to:

• Honest & accurate information: Stores must not mislead you about prices, discounts, or quality.
• Right to return: You can return defective goods within six months for a refund, replacement, or repair (CPA Section 56).
• Fair contracts: No fine print that quietly strips your rights.
• Accountability: Misleading adverts, undelivered items, and hidden fees can be challenged legally.

Don’t let “Festive Fever” blind you — remember, you’re not just a shopper. You’re a protected consumer.

The National Credit Act (NCA) exists to protect South African consumers from reckless lending and unfair credit practices, especially during the festive season when credit cards, lay-byes, and “buy now, pay later” offers become tempting options.

Your Rights Under the NCA

Right to Full Disclosure: Credit providers must clearly explain all charges — including interest rates, initiation fees, and monthly service costs — before you sign any agreement (National Credit Act 34 of 2005, Section 92).

• Right to Full Disclosure: Credit providers must clearly explain all charges — including interest rates, initiation fees, and monthly service costs — before you sign any agreement (National Credit Act 34 of 2005, Section 92).
• Right to Access Your Credit Report: You are entitled to one free credit report per year from any registered credit bureau (NCR, 2024).
• Right to Clear and Simple Language: All agreements must be written in plain language, ensuring you understand exactly what you are committing to.

(Sources: National Credit Act 34 of 2005; National Credit Regulator, 2024; South African Government Services – Consumer Protection)

If you believe a lender has acted recklessly or failed to explain credit terms, you can seek assistance from Solace, who can help you understand your rights, assess affordability, and dispute unfair credit agreements. T’c and C’s apply.

2. Online Shopping: Legal Risks Behind the Convenience

In the 2024 Black Friday-Cyber Monday weekend, the online share of total spend was about 23% of all purchase value, and e-commerce transaction volumes were up 76% year-on-year. “Meanwhile, according to the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO), e-commerce accounted for 26% of all complaints in the 2023/24 financial year.

Be sure to protect yourself:

• Check for .co.za domains, valid contact details, and secure payment gateways.
• Download or save screenshots of prices, product descriptions, and the T’c and C’s.
• - they are your legal proof.
• Be careful when shopping on international shopping sites where the South African CPA protection doesn’t apply.
• Verify a supplier's business registration number before online purchases to ensure it's a legitimate, traceable company. Check the retailer details on CIPC website, protect yourself against fraud, have legal recourse, and trust in verified businesses.

If a retailer misleads or fails to deliver, Solace can help you lodge and escalate your complaint under the CPA.

3. Festive Legal Snapshot (2025)

• Complaint volumes rising during sale windows - 11,282 complaints for the year ending 29 Feb 2024, up from 10,562 a year earlier.
• Top legal disputes: undelivered goods, refund refusals, and misleading “50% off” ads.
• Most affected group: consumers aged 25 - 45 making online purchases.

4. Solace: Your Backup for Festive Season Shopping

From refund refusals to false advertising, our legal team acts quickly under the CPA and NCA to resolve disputes and recover your money.

Our experts can help you:

• Review lay-bye or online purchase contracts before you commit.
• Represent your interests when businesses ignore your rights.
• Manage disputes with third parties to try to resolve issues without having to litigate.
• Help you file official complaints with suppliers, ombuds and regulators. T’c and C’s apply.

5. Tips from the National Financial Ombud

• In the event of fraud, immediately report the disputed transaction to the bank. Do not approach the merchant.
• As a cardholder, it’s your responsibility to ensure your account is being properly used. If you don’t recognise a charge on your account, don’t assume it is fraud. First, consult the people with access to the card and see if they authorised it without your knowledge.
• Contact the merchant to verify any purchase you do not recognise. It’s possible that you simply don’t recognise the business name or have forgotten a purchase.
• Read the terms and conditions carefully before buying anything. Don’t click “accept” if you don’t agree to abide by their policies.
• Before requesting a chargeback, double-check what you originally agreed to as you are bound by those terms, even if you did not read them. Remember, chargebacks are there to protect the consumer from fraud, not buyer’s remorse.
• Cancel subscription services long before the next billing cycle runs, to give the merchant plenty of time to terminate your agreement. The process could take a while, so don’t expect it to be cancelled in a day or two.
• If it is a dispute and not a fraudulent transaction, give the merchant sufficient time to initiate a refund. But remember you must raise a chargeback within 120 days of the transaction.
• Decrease your fraud risk by not letting anyone borrow your card, keep personal information safe, and shop on HTTPS sites with a secure WIFI connection.
• Sign up for services like Mastercard 3D SecureCode and Verified by Visa to prevent unauthorised use of your cards – ask your bank.
• Make use of an escrow service (offered by many banks and some payment platforms) for secure transactions while you await delivery.

Source: https://www.cgso.org.za/cgso/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/J8364-_CGSO_Newsletter_Q4_2024-03.pdf

With Solace, the law works for you — not against you.

With Solace, you’re not alone

Festive shopping should bring joy, not legal chaos.
When you know your rights and have Solace by your side, you can shop freely, confidently, and safely.

💬 WhatsApp: +27 (76) 412 9990 (type "AI" to start chatting)
☎️ Call: 0860 765 223
✉️Email: info@solacebenefits.co.za