IT’LL HELP IF YOU HAVE ALL THE EVIDENCE

BUYING online is great, so long as everything goes smoothly. When things go wrong, however, there are steps you can take to protect yourself.

The law is simple. Your contract as a buyer is with the outlet that sold you the goods. But it would be naive to think it will always be as simple as that.

The world we live in and shop in has complicated routes from manufacturer to end-user.

What do you do if something goes wrong with an electronic device constructed in the Far East, under the auspices of a company in Hong Kong, that is sold worldwide on a “marketplace” website?

Your initial point of complaint should be the marketplace website. But your problem might be solved more quickly if you contact the manufacturer.

Whatever you do, it is imperative that you keep records of all your correspondence.

As Alex did, take screengrabs of conversations on forms you fill in.

The way to take a screengrab on a Windows PC is: 1. Press the Print Screen or PrtSc button on your keyboard. This takes a snapshot of whatever is on the screen. Try to include a shot that shows the date. 2. Open Paint (Paint is a simple graphics program that comes with Windows operating systems, you’ll find it in the Start menu). 3. Press Control + V to paste the screenshot into Paint. 4. Press Control + S to save the screenshot. Store it somewhere you will easily find it again, along with any emails and records of the steps you take during your complaint.