Do I need to keep the receipt and the box from the goods and when they can come in handy

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The life hacker deals with the lawyer.

Imagine a situation: you are buying something non-food. The seller packs the goods and says memorized: "We keep the check and the box." As a result, the average buyer can accumulate quite a lot of cardboard at home, because it is not always clear how much and why to store the packaging.

Let's analyze every case when a box with a check is useful, and find out if you can do without them.

If you are returning a good quality product

Under the Consumer Protection Law, you can return a non-food product within 14 days, simply because you no longer like it. This is not allowed to be done with any thing, there are exceptions, such as laundry or electronics. But, say, sneakers can be returned without explanation.

It is only necessary to comply with the conditions: the product must retain its presentation, have no traces of use, it is required to leave labels on it. There is no direct requirement for a box.

It follows from Russian laws that, in general, it is prohibited to return goods without packaging only in two cases:

• if it says that the buyer must keep it intact;
• if it was part of the product and its destruction is considered damage.

The important thing here is what counts as packaging. If, for example, you put your sneakers in a bag, then you can do without it when returning it. But the box is still better to leave, since its presence usually fits into the criterion "keep the presentation". After the return, the product will be put up for sale again, and in some cases it will not be possible to sell it without packaging. According to the leading lawyer of the European Legal Service Olga Shirokova, even if the dispute reaches the court, in this case, the seller will be more likely to support.

By law, to return, you must also have a sales receipt or cashier's receipt or other document confirming payment.

Olga Shirokova Leading Lawyer, European Legal Service

However, if there is no receipt, this does not deprive you of the opportunity to return the goods. You just have to confirm the purchase in a different way, for example, with the help of testimony.

If you hand over the goods broken or defective

Sellers are actively cultivating the legend that a box and a receipt are required to return or repair a product under warranty. The expert notes that there are no such requirements in the relevant article of the law "On Protection of Consumer Rights".

The check and the box will, of course, make it easier to resolve the issue. But their absence is not a reason for refusal. The seller or other authorized person is obliged to accept the goods of inadequate quality and, if necessary, to check its quality.

Olga Shirokova

If a thing is stolen

Another concern is related to smartphones and other expensive technology. Allegedly, if the gadget is stolen, then without the box, the police will not accept the application and will not look for the loss.

According to Olga Shirokova, there is no requirement to keep the box and the check for such a case in the law. Police officers are required to accept a theft or fraud report and conduct an appropriate investigation. The IMEI indicated on the box would certainly help a lot in finding a gadget. However, nothing prevents you from duplicating it somewhere else, just in case.

What to remember

1. It is better to store a box and a receipt from a quality product for two weeks. You will need them if you are in doubt whether you like the item or not, and you may want to return it.
2. The box is not needed to return or repair the item under warranty. It is enough to keep the receipt to remind the seller of the purchase.
3. It is better to keep boxes of expensive gadgets. But not at all for law enforcement agencies, they just need to know the codes. The box will make it easier for you to sell the device, as you can easily confirm that it is not stolen or fake.