InfoCons Consumer Protection Tips for a Safe Valentine’s Day! Be Informed!

InfoCons Consumer Protection Tips for a Safe Valentine’s Day! Be Informed!

Valentine’s Day is approaching, nationally recognized as the celebration of love — a day when couples usually exchange gifts and celebrate their affection. On February 14, couples give each other chocolate, jewelry, or organize vacations away from everyday chaos.

The InfoCons app helps you quickly and easily choose the perfect gift by simply scanning the barcode! The InfoCons app is a useful tool for consumers!

Although, at first glance, gifts may seem “easy to choose,” when purchasing chocolate, jewelry, cosmetics, or vacation packages for your loved one, you should pay attention to certain aspects that can help you avoid an unpleasant surprise!

To make your task easier, InfoCons provides a mini-guide with all the information you need to choose a gift for your loved one.

 Jewelry with Precious Stones and Metals

Besides chocolate, you may want to surprise your loved one with jewelry that enhances their beauty. But do you know what to look for when buying jewelry? Here are some tips to help you purchase the perfect gift!

• Make sure the place where you buy from is authorized to sell precious metal and gemstone items.
• The selling prices of precious metals and gemstones are not imposed by any state institution.
• Avoid buying jewelry from people who approach you on the street under various pretexts.
• Do not purchase precious metal items with suspicious weight.
• Request complete information about the product, price, purchase conditions (if applicable), and make sure the stone is specified as NATURAL.
• Beware of unsolicited sales offers and unauthorized sellers.
• Make sure you receive the original Quality Certificate, accompanied by an invoice or fiscal receipt.

The Quality Certificate must obligatorily contain:

• Correct, precise, and complete details regarding the purchased product (metal fineness, nature of the stones, etc.) – Natural/Synthetic/Artificial

• Identification details of the economic operator from whom you purchased the product

Make sure you receive the fiscal invoice or receipt proving the purchase from that operator.

Request additional information about the product warranty and possible service issues that may arise.

Check the company’s return policy in case defects appear later that are not caused by mechanical damage during wearing.

ATTENTION! Currently, there is no accredited laboratory for precious stones on the territory of Romania.

Avoid buying jewelry from unauthorized places, even if the price is tempting. Usually, a suspiciously low price indicates questionable quality. Therefore, if you choose to buy jewelry for your loved one, make sure it truly contains precious stones or is genuinely made of precious metals.

Cosmetic Products

Completing the perfect gift may also include a cosmetic product. Since we’ve already established how to choose chocolate and jewelry, here’s what to look for when selecting cosmetics:

• Pay attention to prices — unusually low prices are suspicious and often come from parallel supply chains.
• Check whether the packaging quality matches the product’s value. A so-called “luxury” product packaged in plastic or a plain box may actually be counterfeit.
• Carefully examine the label; poor printing quality may indicate a counterfeit.
• Some well-known manufacturers and importers voluntarily personalize certain products with hologram labels to secure and protect their brand.
• Any cosmetic product must display the name of the manufacturer, the responsible person placing it on the market, or the importer (for products from outside the EU).

Most products must display the minimum durability date, preceded by the phrase “Best used before,” followed by the date or details of where this date appears on the packaging, expressed either as month and year or day, month, and year, using Arabic numerals.

Purchase cosmetics only from specialized stores or departments that issue purchase documents (invoice, fiscal receipt), which you will need in case of a complaint. Original products are not sold outside distribution chains, such as at market stalls or by individuals “selling from a bag.”

The perfect gift may culminate in a long-dreamed vacation away from everyday chaos. In this case, as throughout the “Valentine’s Day Guide,” you should consider several useful pieces of information to avoid a ruined vacation.

Do not forget: Always request the fiscal receipt, as it serves as supporting documentation if you wish to file a complaint.