Buying by Internet, Mail Order or Phone
Many of us buy goods and services using the phone, by mail order, and increasingly from the Internet. This gives us a chance to browse and shop at a time suitable to us.
The law recognises 'shopping at a distance' comes with its own problems. What happens if the goods don't turn up, or if you don't like them once you have had a chance to look at them?
You have rights under The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.
The regulations state that you should be given clear information about the order and the trader, along with a cooling-off period, protection against credit card fraud and against the demand for payment of unsolicited goods.
Useful information can be found on the following web sites:
- Citizens Advice Guide: Buying Something online? PDF (citizensadvice.org.uk)
- Online shopping Advice - Which?
- Consumer rights & protection: Money Saving Expert (moneysavingexpert.com)
If you are a business providing online shopping facilities, be aware of your responsibilities to the consumer. Information can be found in the business companion.