Online Shopping

Consumer cultures

Under pressure: resisting pressure selling and scarcity panic this festive sales season

The clamorous world of consumerism sees millions of companies competing for our hard earned cash. To tempt us, they’ll offer all kinds of things to sweeten the deal. Yet what may appear as a generous offer can conceal a much…

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6 min read

November 29, 2023

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Taking on Black Friday in a cost-of-living crisis

<img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-60 photo' height='60' width='30' decoding='async'/>

Shops

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<img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-60 photo' height='60' width='30' decoding='async'/>

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<img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-60 photo' height='60' width='30' decoding='async'/>

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<img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' data-srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' height='60' width='30' decoding='async' data-src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' class='avatar avatar-60 photo lazyload' src='data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==' /><noscript><img alt='Katie Goss avatar' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=60&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a280ec16af2cb8d4128f305b5a3811aa?s=120&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-60 photo' height='60' width='30' decoding='async'/>

Consumer cultures

Subscription traps and uncancellable contracts: how to escape scams and surplus expenses

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Consumer cultures

Consumer trends and tactics: our new series on online buying and behaviour

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Consumer cultures

Buyer-seller bust-ups and delivery disputes: our guide to online selling platforms

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Online Shopping

Why discount websites might cost more in the long run

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What happens to gift vouchers when firms go bust?

Shops

What happens to my vouchers, gift cards and credit notes when firms go bust?

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All News

Deliver us from evil – avoiding disappointment when ordering online

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