Useful info for shopping online

There's an interesting article on the BBC news today about online retailers of electronic goods. It seems that more than half on online retailers of electronic goods in the EU are being a bit naughty about complying with consumer law. Its worth a read if you buy stuff on line:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8245799.stm

 

Yes, Clueless1. Far too many retailers, even those in our shopping centres try to fob the consumer off when it comes to replacing goods, money back and repairs. The consumer has never been protected better than today, and all because of consumer law. I had brought a washing machine, it lasted just under two years before it broke down. I went back to the shop and complained to the owner and told him that he told me, when I bought it, that it should last at least six years without problem. Since it clearly hadn't, I demanded a replacement and got it. Yes, I did get a load of flannel off him, but as soon as I quoted the consumer protection act, he quickly changed his mind. Obviously, this applies to sales made on line, since a sale is a sale no matter where it's made. Stick to your guns, or they will walk all over you...

What is well worth remembering here, it's that just as you have rights to protect you when shopping, the retailer has the same rights with their wholesaler/manufacturer, so nobody should lose out except the person who made the faulty goods in the first place.

When you buy something, the trading standards people say that the consumer should not lose out on any deal, something that appears to be happening a great deal these days.

 

I was aware of rules like the Sale of Goods act and the Misrepresentation act, but I thought half the battle with online retailers was that they may not be based in this country, and therefore the law they operate under may be different. I didn't realise that many of the consumer laws were common across the EU. That's good to know.

 

Yes, since we are a part of the EU, the rules regarding the sale of goods act applies to all member states. However, if you make a purchase outside this area, it's buyer beware! Of course, I believe that there is still some protection even in those countries, but only as long as you paid by credit card.

 

The websites Direct.gov.uk and consumerdirect.gov.uk both have useful advice and detailed information about your rights.

 

I can understand how many people feel that they can't or won't complain about shoddy goods, or services. I think that unless we all stick to our guns and defend our rights, retailers everywhere are going to continue to fob us off with excuses. The law is there to protect each and every one of us, not just the few who know how to fight back and get what's theirs. As NeilC says, the government's website shows you how to stick up for what is yours by law.

 

I think a big part of the problem is that most don't know their rights. Its all very well saying that the info is there on several websites, which is very true, but a lot of people still don't use the internet. Some because they are just not interested in that sort of thing, some because they are getting on in years and haven't kept up with technology (which of course is their choice), and then there are some who simply can't read the info - there are a surprising number of adults who are not literate. There seems to be little, if any, effort on the part of government etc to cover such groups.

Another big part of the problem, I suspect, is that people don't understand how things work in business. I wonder how many people buy something that is substandard and want to complain, but then think about the poor shopkeeper who is trying to scrape a living, without realising that nowadays, the 'poor shopkeeper' is actually a board of wealthy stakeholders who care about nothing but net profit, and besides they too are protected by the same law that protects the consumer. They have the same right as we do to send something back to whoever they bought the faulty goods from, be it a wholesaler, who can go back to the manufacturer, or the manufacturer themselves.

 

I wholeheartedly agree with the things you point out. I sometimes think that if the governments agency, trading standards put a little bit more effort into ensuring that the consumer was given the full force of their rights, the retail sector would be more reluctant to cheat the consumer. I'm 67 next year, but that doesn't mean that I'm on the road to senility. I'll stick up for my rights each and every time, come what may. I've already helped a few people near me to get their rights sorted out. I'd do it for anyone, and all because I can't stand being cheated...