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With more weekends coming up after the holidays, many consumers take the time to browse the Internet for ongoing offers with tempting discounts.

Often, the offers are accompanied by the possibility of providing additional discounts when entering promotional codes.

We receive them in our mail after our consent* with direct mail from various companies, we see them on website banners or as sponsored posts on social networks. 

However, which online shopper has not experienced when trying to use a discount voucher to see a message like: "This code has already been used", "Invalid discount code" etc.

"It is important to see the terms of use of the discount code, as well as the period for which it is provided.

If, when trying to use it, in compliance with all the rules announced by the merchant and within the specified period of activity, a message is displayed that the code is invalid or that it has already been used, this looks like an unfair commercial practice and an attempt by the store to stimulate sales.

Not only is it incorrect for consumers, but it is also a violation of the legislation," Gabriela Rumenova from the "We, the Consumers" platform explained on BNR.   

Consumers will have higher protection online from dangerous products 

"One of the main purposes of implementing this technique is for us to 'go around' the entire e-store, choose what we like, with the expectation in our minds that we will get the promised discount percentages.

And then, when we already live with the idea that these products will be ours, suddenly it turns out that the code does not work.

It is very unlikely that we will abandon the purchases in our e-cart, regardless of the fact that we will not receive the discount", commented the expert.

Discount codes are now not only an element of online shopping, but also become a significant motive for consumers to make one or another purchase from a merchant, even when they do not need the products at the moment or at all.

A recent study (Wildfire) found that 61% of respondents said they "always" or "often" look for coupons, discounts, cash back rewards or other ways to save on their purchases.

Many users exchange discount codes, and here there is a risk of incorrectness between them - to provide already used combinations and it turns out that they do not work because of this.

There are even discount code search engines that find and bring to users' attention deals with the promise of saving money.

It's imperative that you don't blindly trust the search results and check that somewhere else there is currently an even better offer for the products you've chosen, advise the experts at We the Consumers.

It would be appropriate that the burden of protection does not fall solely on the customers, but that the supervisory authorities also monitor whether there is a breach of consumer protection legislation, because even though the search service for such results is provided free of charge, it may be linked to the realization of commercial intentions of specific economic operators and that this is detrimental to the interests of consumers.

Search algorithms and result ordering should be explored.

Not to be underestimated is the fact that often, in order to receive the discount, the user must be registered in the online store and log in to his account.

This means that he provides his personal data, which is processed for marketing purposes, and most likely, with his consent, he sold it for a discount, experts warn.  

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