Buying something for Black Friday? Understand your credit card protection first
November shopping guide · General UK purchase-protection information
Before getting carried away by a discount, it is worth knowing what happens if the order never arrives or the item is faulty. Paying by credit card can give you useful rights, but it does not guarantee a refund for every disappointing purchase.
The basic Section 75 rule
Section 75 can make the credit provider liable for a supplier’s breach of contract or misrepresentation. The cash price of the item or service must be more than £100 and no more than £30,000. Paying only part of that price on a credit card can qualify, provided the other conditions are met.
Watch the price of the item, not just the basket
A £120 item and a basket containing two separate £60 items are not automatically treated alike. The first clears the price threshold; adding separate cheaper items together does not by itself do so. An item costing exactly £100 falls outside the “more than £100” threshold.
These examples illustrate the price test only. They do not establish that a particular claim would succeed, and how goods are sold as a set can matter.
How you pay can matter too
Section 75 depends on the relationship between borrower, credit provider and supplier. An intermediary can complicate that relationship. Do not assume every wallet or marketplace checkout is covered—or that every such payment is excluded. Ask about the particular payment route if the protection matters to your decision.
Chargeback is a different route
Chargeback is a card-scheme process that may help with debit or credit card purchases. Rules and time limits apply, and success is not guaranteed. Contact the provider promptly about a problem rather than waiting to see whether it resolves itself indefinitely.
Make your own record before checkout
A useful purchase folder could contain the listing, seller details, price, promised delivery date and order confirmation. If you later need to explain what was promised, a saved copy is easier to work from than a changed product page.
For an illustrative delayed order, write down the promised date and each response you received. This keeps the conversation focused on what happened. Ask the card provider which claim route it can consider and what evidence it needs.
Finally, protection does not make a purchase affordable. Work out how you would repay it even if the item arrives exactly as expected.
Sources & further reading
Sources checked on 3 November 2026. Examples are illustrative unless identified as reported figures or a provider’s terms. General information, not personal financial advice.