You will often find that products are cheaper online. The down side is that you aren’t able to look things over until they arrive. To make up for this, the law gives you extra protection when you buy online, over the phone or through catalogues. Generally (but not always) you are given 7 working days after you receive the goods to change your mind and send things back. There are exceptions to this and the trader can expect you to cover the cost of the return unless they are faulty.
Traders based in the UK are required to provide certain information to consumers who are buying on line or over the telephone. The details can be found in this document from the Office of Fair Trading Distance Selling Regulations.
However, the Distance Selling Regulations do not apply if you are buying something as a business.
Furthermore, if the item is faulty or mis-described, you should reject the items under the Sale of Goods Act.
Before buying online:
Check that the business has a postal address on their website. If anything were to go wrong with your purchase, you need to be able to write to them at a physical address not a PO Box. A business which has a “.co.uk” web address may not be a UK company.
Do a search for the company online – often if customers are having problems with a business, they will post messages on forums to express their concerns and it may help to alert you to issues with the company. You can also do a “who is” search to find out who registered the website.
Always check the businesses terms and conditions before you buy. In particular, check their returns policy. If you simply don’t like the item when it arrives or have changed your mind about it, it is open for a business to expect you to cover the cost of a return, which can be expensive for larger items
If you are going to pay for goods online, ensure that the padlock image is visible on the screen. That is your guarantee that the payment is secure. It does not, however, mean that the trader has been vetted by anybody.
Where possible, pay for items, which are priced over £100 on a credit card. That way if the company fails to provide your goods or supplies you with faulty or misdescribed goods, you will have the same claim against the credit card company as you do against the business (Consumer Credit Act, Section 75). However, this does not apply if you use an intermediary such as Paypal although they will offer their own dispute resolution mechanism. In particular, you will not receive any protection at all if you use a money transfer service such as Western Union or Money Gram and requests for payment only by either of these methods should be treated with extreme caution.
Always print or save a copy of your order/receipt after you have submitted your order so that you can produce it if the goods aren’t delivered. Also print or save a copy of the product description, price and terms and conditions at the time of your order. That way, in the case of problems, you can refer to exactly what the website said at the time you ordered the product.
Be wary of buying goods that may have been shipped from abroad and may not comply with safety standards. All electrical goods and toys should have a CE mark on them. If you have been sold such a product that is not CE marked, contact The Citizens Advice Consumer Service for advice.
Also be alert for fake goods – the price is often the tell tale sign. Most people think of fake items as being clothes and handbags, but criminals copy a broad range of things, from medicines and pain killers, to cosmetics and cigarettes, from hair straighteners to alcohol. Many of these products pose a significant risk of harm to the customer. Use price, customer feedback and ease of contact to help you judge whether this is a business you are likely to be able to trust.
If you encounter any problems with a trader online, then contact The Citizens Advice Consumer Service for advice.
For further information on internet, telephone or mail order shopping and your rights, visit The Citizens Advice website. In addition you can find further advice on shopping safely online on the Get Safe Online website, including advice on buying from online auctions.
Protecting your computer at home
The Association of Chief Trading Standards Officers and Association of Chief Police Officers have been working with Get Safe Online to develop a 'Rough Guide to Online Safety'. This covers topics such as securing your computer, digital security at home, scams and schemes and what to do when your security fails. The Guide can be viewed below. You can also visit the Get Safe Online website for more advice and to set up alerts about current issues.