Procons Issue Post‑Holiday Guidance on Returns, Defects and Delivery Delays

Overview

• Purchases made online, by phone or apps carry a seven‑day right of withdrawal after receipt with full refund, including freight (Article 49).
• For defects, consumers have 30 days to complain about non‑durables and 90 days for durables; suppliers have 30 days to fix before the buyer may demand substitution, corrected refund or price reduction, with essential items eligible for immediate solution.
• Brick‑and‑mortar stores are not legally required to exchange items for size, color or preference unless a clearly disclosed policy was offered at the sale.
• Late delivery counts as breach of offer under Article 35, allowing forced fulfillment, an equivalent product or cancellation with refund and demonstrable losses, a remedy especially relevant given Correios delays from the Dec. 17 strike.
• Keep invoices, tags and packaging and file disputes with Procon or Consumidor.gov.br; victims of scams should register a police report, though restitution is typically unlikely.