The convenience and benefits of online shopping cannot be disputed. The comfort of buying from one’s home through a simple click and with the knowledge of a speedy delivery, is encouraging more and more consumers to opt for the virtual market.
However, online shopping is not only attracting consumers and honest traders, but unfortunately also scammers, who over time have developed complex schemes with the aim of tricking consumers into paying for goods that they never receive, or to obtain their personal information for financial gain. By taking some simple precautions, as well as by being aware of their legal rights, consumers can enjoy shopping online with peace of mind.
An effective weapon against fraudsters is information. Knowing who the seller is and their reputation with previous buyers is a must. In the first instance, consumers need to gather the seller’s full contact information. Consumers should specifically look for a physical location and also customer service information. This information should be clearly visible on the website. Consumers should not trust websites that only provide a ‘contact us’ form as a means of communication with the seller.
In addition, consumers should search for reviews to hear what others have to say about the trader. When judging sellers by online feedback, it is better to stick to third party review sites, as the comments posted on the seller’s website may be biased or entirely fictional. While reading reviews, consumers should look out for comments about the quality of the products, whether the products matched the online description and whether the delivery was as promised.
The terms and conditions of the purchase should also be carefully read before clicking the ‘Buy’ button. Consumers should look out for information about delivery time frames, applicable guarantees, return policies, the method of payment and the right of withdrawal if the seller is EU-based. Concerning the latter, as per the Consumer Rights Regulations, consumers have 14 days during which they can withdraw from the sales contract without penalty and without giving any reason.
The 14 days start from the day the goods are received or in case of services from the day contract is concluded. If the seller does not inform consumers of this right, this period is extended to one year.
If consumers choose to exercise their right to withdraw from the contract, the seller is obliged to reimburse the money paid by the consumer within 14 days from the day that the seller is informed about the cancellation.
Consumers may be asked to provide proof that they have sent back the unwanted goods. Furthermore, when sending products back, consumers may be requested to cover the shipping costs. However, they must be properly informed about these costs before concluding the online purchase. If consumers are not informed, then these costs must be paid by the seller.
Another important precaution consumers need to take when shopping online concerns the payment options. In the first instance, consumers should never agree to send cash or to transfer money directly into the seller’s account because if something goes wrong, it would be very difficult to recover the money. Instead, consumers should ensure that the trader accepts payment by credit card or through a third party payment service as these offer additional protection should something go awry.
Furthermore, when processing a payment, consumers must look out for a padlock icon that indicates a secure internet connection and a URL address that begins with HTTPS, which indicates that the website uses an encrypted protocol in order to increase security of data transfer. After processing the payment, credit card statements must also be checked to ensure that there are no unauthorised transactions.
If consumers want to ensure that the items ordered are delivered to them by a specific date, they need to look out for clauses that include information about when the goods will be delivered. If no delivery date is specified and the purchase is made from an EU member country, then by law the supplier should send the goods within a maximum period of 30 days from the day following the date of order. If this does not happen, consumers are entitled to cancel the order and request a full refund.
Disputes with online sellers may be referred to the MCCAA if the online seller is locally based. If the dispute is with a seller operating from another EU member state, consumers may then seek the assistance of the European Consumer Centre Malta.
WWW.MCCAA.ORG.MT