More European consumers are joining the online shopping momentum, but a new study shows that over two-thirds of online retailers are not adhering to consumer protection laws.
According to a study released by the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS), a shocking number of online sites that sell goods and services to shoppers are failing to meet certain laws that help protect buyers. The SCOTTSS board included officers from 22 Scottish councils, and the research studied over 220 websites across the UK. The results were disappointing across the board, and online retailers will need to get in line before facing consequences.
“A total of 220 websites selling a wide range of consumer goods across the UK were checked for compliance with a range of consumer protection laws covering issues such as informing consumers of all charges and providing them with accurate information, cancellation rights and refunds when due,” explained a spokesperson from the society to The Scotsman. “The websites were chosen at random and not selected on the basis of existing known problems.”
The report shows that more than 50 percent of online retailers are failing to give back a full refund to customers who require them, and one-in-four are illegally subtracting the original delivery charged after refunding customers with their money.
Forty-three percent of these sites failed to tell customers that they have the right to cancel any orders. Additionally, one-in-five added on unexpected charges in the last stages of the checkout process, which were commonly overlooked by shoppers.
Colin Baxter, the chairman of SCOTSS, stated, “These are worryingly high levels of non-compliance. These legal requirements are important for a variety of reasons: to protect online buyers, to ensure fairness and a level playing field for reputable retailers, and to ensure to smooth working of the Internet marketplace.”
Since the UK’s eCommerce began, trading standards officers have been working diligently to keep up with online retailers to make sure regulations wee being followed. However, due to the rapid growth of the market, there have been a number of new entrants, which makes it difficult for officials to keep tabs. According to The Scotsman, many of the new comers are smaller micro-businesses that have little experience and knowledge when it comes to consumer laws.
To read the full article at The Scotsman click here.
