Know your online shopping rights

WHILE hardy shoppers on St Stephen’s Day were bursting in the doors of shops to bag a bargain, it is worth remembering that those who prefer to ‘click and go’ have strong EU laws on their side when buying online.

A recent Digital Insights report showed that 94% of Irish adults who use the internet now buy goods and services online.

Fine Gael Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune said it is important to remind people that they are protected under EU law if anything goes wrong with online purchases which they made when buying Christmas presents, or if they are shopping on-line in the post Christmas sales.

“EU laws are there to protect consumers when you buy online. The Consumer Rights Directive covers you when you buy from businesses based in the EU, so it is important you check the address of any business that you are buying from,” she said.

Under the Consumer Rights Directive, a buyer should receive goods no later than 30 days from the date of purchase, unless an alternative date has been agreed between the buyer and the business.

“When you buy online, you are given a cooling-off period of 14 days. This means you have the right to cancel an order or contract for any reason within this specified period. If you buy a product online, the cooling off period ends 14 days after you receive it. In the case of a contract for a service, the cooling-off period ends 14 days after you conclude the contract, for example, when you agree to the contract or give your credit card details,” she said.

However, it is important to note that if you buy something through distance selling – such as online, over the phone, from a mail order catalogue or a TV shopping channel and it turns out to be faulty, then your consumer rights are the same as if you bought it in a shop.

“If the product you bought turns out to be damaged or faulty, you should complain to the online business in writing immediately, by email, fax or letter, and ask for a refund or replacement. If you bought something from an EU-based website and you have to return the item because it is faulty, the seller has to pay for any return shipping costs,” she said.

In addition, any disputes can be settled in an easy, inexpensive way through the European Commission’s online portal at https://webgate.