23 December 2009
Which? consumer group has warned that thousands of retail websites could be breaking the law by not adhering to the Distance Selling legislation which regulates how retailers engage with consumers at point of sale, whether over the phone, on the Internet or on TV shopping channels. In an article posted on the BBC website, Which? named several prominent retailers - Marks and Spencer and Game being among them, who were not complying with the regulations. Both have now claimed to have changed the wording on their websites and deny any wrong doing.
Which? state that one of the most common misdemeanours was how much time customers were given to return unwanted parcels. Which? confirmed that under existing legislation, consumers are able to cancel any order, up to 7 days after receiving the goods, and are then able to return unwanted items within a reasonable timeframe and be entitled to a full refund. Unless the item is cancelled outside the 7 day period, consumers should not be charged an administration fee. Consumers are also entitled to a refund on the original order's postage and packing charge.
Although few websites would actually be flouting the law intentionally, the IMRG (Internet Media in Retail Group) estimate that at least 1,000 websites fall short on their commitment to consumers. Which? claim they will be keeping a close eye on websites and those in breach will be reported to the Office of Fair Trading.
Which? state that one of the most common misdemeanours was how much time customers were given to return unwanted parcels. Which? confirmed that under existing legislation, consumers are able to cancel any order, up to 7 days after receiving the goods, and are then able to return unwanted items within a reasonable timeframe and be entitled to a full refund. Unless the item is cancelled outside the 7 day period, consumers should not be charged an administration fee. Consumers are also entitled to a refund on the original order's postage and packing charge.
Although few websites would actually be flouting the law intentionally, the IMRG (Internet Media in Retail Group) estimate that at least 1,000 websites fall short on their commitment to consumers. Which? claim they will be keeping a close eye on websites and those in breach will be reported to the Office of Fair Trading.
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