The nature of shopping has changed dramatically within the last two decades. Shopping via mail catalogue order or by phone had been two means by which traders had been distance selling for some years. However, the advent of the Internet brought distance selling to the fore. The easy, flexible approach to online shopping meant that consumers were spoiled for choice more than ever before. Online sales still grow annually, as consumers gain more confidence with the ever-increasing range of products and services on offer online.
Partly in response to this e-commerce boom, the UK Government initially brought the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations into action in 2000. These Regulations, alongside other relevant and related Parliamentary Acts and regulations since, have sought to protect consumers that buy goods or services from sources where there is no face-to-face communication. This article explains some of the fundamental points that were covered in the Distance Selling Regulations and replaced by the Consumer Contracts Regulations in 2014 and which relate directly to safe online shopping and consumer rights.
Applying the Regulations
Firstly, it’s worth noting that the Regulations only apply to consumers that purchase goods or services from a business. The Regulations don’t apply to business-to-business purchases, land sales, vending machine purchases, and purchases made via auctions. However, a little confusingly, the Regulations are applicable to both land rentals and TV Internet shopping channels.
The Fundamentals
The core part of the Regulations ensures that consumer rights are upheld when the consumer isn’t physically in attendance at the time of purchase. Therefore under the Regulations consumers have the right to clear access to what is known as ‘prior information’. This includes the provision by the supplier of:
- Their business name and geographical location
- The price of the goods or services on offer including any hidden costs such as VAT or delivery costs
- A satisfactory description of the goods or services on offer
- Details of any cancellation,returns rights and policies - bearing in mind that all online retailers MUST accept returns within 14 days of the goods being received by the purchaser (whether faulty or not)
- Details about arrangements for purchases and how /when deliveries will be made. Unless another agreement is made, it is expected that deliveries will be made within 30 days
In part, this ensures that the consumer is fully aware of the terms and conditions of the sale before their part of the contract (the purchase) is concluded. The Regulations also stipulate that the supplier must provide written confirmation of the order placed, as well detailing any after-sales guarantees or services. The complaints procedure should also be made clear and accessible.
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You have an automatic cooling off period in which you can cancel an order. This starts as soon as you place the order and ends 14 days from the day you receive the items. You must inform the retailer if you wish to return any items during this 14 day period, then you have a further 14 days to send the goods back.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
Who pays the delivery and return costs
If you return items, the retailer must refund the cost of the items plus any basic delivery charges that were made at the time of purchase. If you paid extra for express delivery, you will only be refunded the basic delivery charge. Some online retailers will refund the whole amount, check their terms and conditions. The retailer does not have to cover the costs you incur in returning the items. Again, some retailers do include this, check the Ts & Cs.
Additional Protection
There is still the extra protection to those that make purchases at a distance with a debit card, storecard or credit card. Basically if a fraudulent payment is made via any of these payment methods, then the consumer retains the right to cancel the fraudulent purchase and recoup a full refund from the card issuer.
I asked the company (roofing megastore) for an address I can return them to for a refund, they have initially said I am not covered and are now not replying to my emails
I paid £1100 and notified them 7 days after receipt of goods
I've placed a large order with Amazon that was split up into several different delivers the largest 2 of which I was told that I would have to provide a signature for, but they never turned up and obviosly have not been signed for by myself but showing on Amazon as marked as "handed to resident"
I've informed them of this and they have closed my account for "too many missing items/ too many refunds issued" I have had to make returns for items that have arrived damaged or have failed within warranty, I'm also disabled so struggle to get out so order alot from them for stuff that I wasn't sure if iit was the right item I had needed for the purpose until it turned up, so returned those items too. They have alos left packages outside of our front door when we have no safe place listed on our account for parcels as they have left them there before makred "as handed to resident" and gone missing.
They are also saying "Any A-z claims will not be investigated and refunds will not be issued for these requests." So I will not be receiving a refund for the items that have gone missing or for the items I have received in the smaller deliveries items that have were damaged on delivery (Games that came with cracked cases and loose cd inside) that Amazon themselves have agreed to and started the returns process already some of which are already in the post back to them. Which I won't be receiving a refund for due to them closing my account.
What am I able to do?
I ordered a moisturiser from an online retailer (Beauty Cow), but when I received the product I realised I ordered the wrong one - the product names are very similar.
I contacted the company today and enquired how to return the product (no return slip in package). They said I have to pay the postage fees as stated in their t&cs. I read the t&c's and it does say customers will incur return postage costs. I assume this is fine?
However, they also said that I would be charged a £3.99 admin fee for returning the product. This will be deducted from my refund. The product is unopened and I will be returning it today. I do not think this is fair / good practice. Plus it was not highlighted / brought to my attention at the time of purchase.
Are they allowed to do this?
Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you.
My husband wanted to schedule video releases via twitter ads and did so without realizing that he had started 'campaign'. He started this 'campaign' on 2nd Feb and then received notification from his bank on 9th Feb that he was now over his overdraft limit. He discovered he paying over £75 per day in automatic bidding, total spend was £550. He does not recall ever setting a daily budget for this campaign or authorising this, but he did however unfortunately load on his credit card details to Twitter Ads.
I tried to 'pause' the campaign but the pause button wasn't working, so managed to work out how to 'delete' the campaign. This stopped further funds being accrued. Unfortunately the Twitter Ad help is extremely unhelpful and despite repeated appeals to have this reviewed we are getting nowhere. We feel that he was never given a clear indication of the costs in a coherant way, he certainly did not receive an email in advance confirming this. I have asked for copies of confirmation from Twitter of this but have had no response. Is there anything we can do here as it's obviously a huge hit to us financially.
We'd very much appreciate your advice.
Thanks
My name is Adrian and I live in Bucharest Romania.
Last week we called Gotogate for two round-trip tickets from Bucharest to Tenerife.
We paid the tickets, we received the confirmation, but after 24 hours Gotogate announced that the departure flight was canceled and that they are only returning the money for the departure flight and to address another flight company so that we can leave Bucharest to Tenerife.
The company refuses to return the money for the return flight even though I explained to them that I did not find another flight to Tenerife and paid for the hotel, car rental, etc.
More serious is the fact that all flights in this period from Bucharest to Tenerife are reserved by two companies, one of which is Gotogate.
When they stopped our return flights, they knew that no departure flights were available.
Can you help me with some advice?
Thanks a lot for your support
I am having a bloody battle with ASOS atm. I have returned items on the 11th July, which they have received on the 12th and i am now being told that due to a busy period i have to wait till the 27th before my refund to be processed and then have to wait upto another 5 days for the funds to clear?!?!?!
This just doesnt seem fair. They have the items, but i am being told to wait! Is this correct?
Thanks in advance
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