USEFUL RESOURCES
÷ CCPC.IE This is the website of the competition and consumer watchdog, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). Its recent press release about shopping online on Black Friday is on its website and worth reading by online shoppers as the tips would also apply to any promotions being run by online shops. This press release, which can be found in the ‘News’ section of the website, also explains what to do if your order doesn’t arrive within 30 days. (Under EU law, an online retailer based in the EU can take up to 30 days to deliver something to you — unless the business has agreed to deliver your goods earlier.) The CCPC’s ‘News’ section also has a recent press release which explains how to control the cost of Christmas. For those buying toys this Christmas, check the CCPC’s ‘Safety tips for Christmas’. These tips can be found in the website’s ‘Product Safety’ section.
÷ ECCIRELAND.IE You can find out about your rights when shopping online on this website — which is that of the Dublin European Consumer Centre. Click ‘Shopping Online’ in the ‘Popular consumer topics’ drop-down menu to pull up this information. The website’s ‘consumer news’ section is also worth checking to find out about the latest consumer issues and scams.
÷ OANDA.COM/CURRENCY/CONVERTER This is an easy-to-follow currency conversion website. You’ll need a website such as this to check the euro price (and so the real cost to you) of anything you’re planning to buy from a country which is not in the eurozone, such as Britain or the United States.
÷ AMAZON.CO.UK The British-based website of the online marketplace, Amazon.
÷ ETSY.COM/IE Etsy is an online marketplace of vintage and handmade goods.
÷ REVENUE.IE/EN/CUSTOMS-TRADERSAND-AGENTS/DOCUMENTS/GUIDE-TOIMPORTING-GOODS-THROUGH-THE-POST.PDF This is a detailed guide from the Revenue Commissioners which outlines the tax, duties and other charges you could face when ordering something online from outside Ireland.
÷ PARCELMOTEL.COM This is the website of the Parcel Motel delivery service, which offers a virtual address so that you can manage your online shopping deliveries. Here you can find details of the various services offered by Parcel Motel — as well as its prices and terms and conditions.
÷ ADDRESSPAL.ANPOST.IE Here you can find out how An Post’s AddressPal works — as well as its pricing and conditions.
÷ PRICESPY.IE This website is a must for anyone about to embark on any shopping spree. It allows you to check the prices of a particular good across a number of retailers, thereby identifying one of the cheapest shops to buy something in.