THE FACTS Wrong. While it may seem hard to believe, if you buy an item on the high street you have no right to a refund if you change your mind. However, some shops may allow refunds or exchanges as part of their own policies. These may have their own conditions attached.  But all retailers – both on the high street and online – have a duty under the Sale of Goods Act to make sure that the product is as described, of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose, and also meets any specific purpose that you agreed with the seller. If you buy a product that has a problem for one of these reasons, you can choose to "reject" it, return it and get your money back. Do not be put off if you no longer have a receipt for faulty goods because you are required only to prove the purchase. You could supply a bank or credit card statement instead.  'I don't shop online as I would have fewer rights'  THE FACTS Quite the contrary. Goods bought online have a seven-day cooling-off period, which begins the day the product arrives by post.  You have this right because you have not yet seen the item. When it's delivered, that's your first opportunity to inspect it. This right means that you can cancel your order or change your mind, unless the items are perishable or have been made to your personal specifications, or if you have removed all the packaging. With financial products, such as bank accounts, energy tariffs and insurance products taken out online, the cooling-off period is extended to 14 days. If you do not want to keep the items, you should be entitled to a full refund, including delivery charges, although you may have to pay the cost of returning the goods. The seller must refund the money within 30 days.  'I get a two-year warranty under EU rules'  THE FACTS Yes, but that doesn't leave you better off. According to European Directive 1999/44/EC, every country in the EU must ensure that a retailer can be held liable for all "non-conformities" that happen within two years of purchase.  But the Sale of Goods Act trumps the EU directive as it meets or exceeds most of the directive's requirements. The Act provides cover for goods for up to six years in England and Wales and means that if an item breaks you still have rights. As long as the item has failed through no fault of yours and it was reasonable to expect it to last longer (because of the cost or quality), you should demand that under the Sales of Goods Act it must be replaced or repaired by the retailer rather than the manufacturer.  Once the item is six months old, it is your responsibility to show that it failed as a result of a manufacturing fault.  'I paid with my credit card so I have additional rights'  THE FACTS Yes, consumers who pay with plastic do have added security on their purchases, but only if the items cost more than £100 and less than £30,000. Shoppers are protected under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, which means the credit card company is jointly liable with the shop if something you buy is faulty or not as described, or fails to be delivered. If the shop goes bust before you receive the goods, you can make a claim against the credit card provider instead of the supplier.  Using your card to pay a small part of the total bill gives you protection, which is worth remembering if you don't want to put the whole of the bill on your card. However, if you have bought two items for a combined total of £100, but each costing less than £100, Section 75 is unlikely to apply.  'The price tag was wrong, but the retailer has to honour it'  THE FACTS Unfortunately not. This is a case of "if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is". If you happen to spot something that is incorrectly priced you have no legal right to buy it for that price. If you get to the till and the sales assistant notices, the retailer is within its rights to refuse to sell it to you for that price. This is also the case if you order an item online – if the mistake is noticed before you have been contacted by the retailer to confirm the sale, there is no legally binding contract and it is within its rights to refuse the sale.  However, if your sale has been accepted, you can insist that the retailer sells you the goods for the price at which they were advertised. Which?, the consumer group, said that in this case you might be able to buy the same item elsewhere and claim against the original trader for the difference in price. To do this you should write to the retailer in the first instance, explaining what you are doing. If it doesn't agree to refund the money, you will normally have to take a claim to the small claims court (see box above).  The trader could try to argue that it made a mistake with the pricing, voiding the contract. But it would have to show that the price was so low that you must have known it was not genuine: for example, a new leather jacket with a price tag of £2.  'You have no rights with second-hand or sale items'  THE FACTS Just because you have bought an item in a store that was either on sale or second-hand, it does not follow that you lose any of your consumer rights – unless, of course, the seller has highlighted the specific problems before you made the purchase. Second-hand or sale items must be of satisfactory quality; if they're faulty, you are entitled to return them.  However, you have far fewer rights if you are buying from a private seller who does not make all or part of their living selling items. The only protection here is that items must be correctly described.  'I can get my money back if my delivery does not arrive in time'  THE FACTS With many consumers still waiting for their Christmas shopping to arrive, some may be tempted to go out and buy gifts so they aren't caught out on the big day. However, don't assume that you can reclaim your money back after Christmas if presents arrive late as unless you or the retailer have specified (and can prove) that it was for pre-Christmas delivery, you won't have the right to redress.  If pre-Christmas delivery was specified, late arrival is a breach of contract and you've a right to a refund. Even if Christmas delivery isn't specified, things should be delivered within a reasonable time, usually 30 days.  There's no ombudsman for consumer problems with sale of goods, leaving only the threat of court action. But that doesn't necessarily mean running up a big bill with a solicitor. For amounts of up to £5,000 you can obtain a county court order forcing the retailer to pay up. You can undertake such small claims yourself at a cost of between £35 and £120.  • What's your story? Email us at money@telegraph.co.uk
Do you know your shopping rights? You may have more than you think. We debunk   the urban myths and explain where you stand.