Shopping Online - Don't Get Caught On The Net!
Don't Get Caught On
The Net!
opens up a whole world of goods and services. With
the simple click of a mouse, you can order tulip bulbs
directly from Holland, exotic spices from Turkey or
hand-woven wall hangings from Mexico or Morocco.
The World Wide Web has expanded
the international market place in a way never before
possible, giving consumers unlimited choices.
But shopping electronically
- especially when you're dealing with vendors in other
countries - opens up a whole world of questions.
-
Are the prices
posted in UK pounds or some other currency?
-
Does the company
ship internationally?
-
How long will
it take for an order to be delivered?
-
Will unexpected
taxes or duties be added to the price?
-
If there's
a problem, where can you get it resolved?
The same laws that cover the
"real world" also cover the Internet, so
if you buy from a UK site, all the laws that apply
in the UK apply to your purchases.
Be careful if you buy from a
non-UK site, the laws of that country will apply!
-
Know
who you're dealing with.
Do some homework to
make sure a company is legitimate before doing business
with it. Identify the company's name, its physical
address, including the country where it is based,
and an e-mail address or telephone number, so you
can contact the company with questions or problems.
And consider dealing only with vendors that clearly
state their policies. Is the company affiliated
with industry groups or trade associations that
you trust?
-
Know
what you're buying.
Shop around for the
best deal and look for accurate, clear and easily
accessible information about the goods or services
being offered. Contact the company to clear up any
questions before you place an order.
-
Understand
the terms, conditions and costs involved in the
sale.
Find out upfront what
you're getting for your money and what you're not.
Get a full, itemised list of costs involved in the
sale, with a clear designation of the currency involved,
terms of delivery or performance, and terms, conditions
and methods of payment. Make "time the essence
of the contract" if you need delivery by a
certain date, eg birthday presents, etc.
-
Look for information
about restrictions, limitations or conditions of
the purchase; instructions for proper use of products,
including safety and health care warnings, warranties
and guarantees, cancellation or refund policies
and the availability of after-sale service.
-
Protect
yourself when paying online.
Look for information
posted online that describes the company's security
policies, and check whether the browser is secure
and encrypts your personal and financial information
during online transmission. That makes the information
less vulnerable to hackers.
-
More information
about security when shopping online can be found
on the TrustUK* website.
-
Buy
with a credit card for extra security.
Remember when you use
your credit card you get extra protection - be secure
to check your statements carefully to ensure all
entries are correct, also check the prices, especially
if they are shown in a foreign currency.
-
Look
out for your privacy.
All businesses require
information about you to process an order. Some
use it to tell customers about products, services
or promotions, but others share or sell the information
to other vendors - a practice with which you may
not be comfortable.
Shop only from online
vendors that respect your privacy. Look for the
vendor's privacy policy on the website. The policy
statement should reveal what personal identifying
information is collected about you and how it will
be used, and give you the opportunity to refuse
having your information sold or shared with other
vendors. It also should tell you whether you can
correct or delete information the company already
has about you.
-
Keep
copies of documents.
Print off any e-mails, adverts, confirmations, terms
and conditions of sale so you have "hard copies"
to refer to.
Understand what recourse you have if you run into
problems with your purchase.
Do business only with
companies that state their commitment to customer
satisfaction and their policy to resolve consumer
complaints or difficulties quickly and fairly, without
imposing excessive charges or inconvenience. Remember
if you use UK sites it will be easier to enforce
your rights - look for a UK address and make sure
the prices are in sterling (just having "UK"
in a company name does not necessarily mean the
trader is UK based).
-
Beware
of import costs.
Imported goods
can be cheaper, but VAT and DUTY can push up the
price. Remember only imports under £18 (including
postage and packing) are free from duty or VAT and
tobacco, perfume and alcohol are liable whatever
they cost.
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