The Regulations require that consumers must be given clear and full information for goods or services bought from home, including information on their cancellation rights. The OFT and trading standards departments reviewed 637 UK web sites and found that 52% of them failed to give easily accessible information on refund or exchange policies.
The OFT is now working with trading standards authorities to follow up with these companies to ensure that their sites are amended to comply with the law.
The findings of the internet sweep coincide with the OFT's launch of an awareness campaign on the Distance Selling Regulations.
Under the Distance Selling Regulations consumers are entitled to:
John Vickers, Director General of Fair Trading, said:
"The results of the internet sweep conducted by the OFT and the trading standard service are of concern. Consumers are now entitled to clear information when they buy from home, whether over the internet, telephone, digital tv or by mail order. Failure to tell consumers about their right to cancel and to a full refund is a breach of the new Distance Selling Regulations and something which must be put right. It is in the interests of consumers and good businesses to make ways of buying from home as robust as possible."
The internet sweep saw the OFT and 28 trading standards authorities join forces with consumer organisations from five continents. Web sites selling books, music, toys, software, clothes and electronic goods to consumers were viewed to see what information was given before purchase.
Most of the 637 UK sites examined did provide basic business contact details. These included a postal address, e-mail address and telephone number and an itemisation of costs. But they fell short in providing any easily accessible information on both refund and exchange policies, and how they would handle customers' personal details.
For further information, see our article, The Distance Selling Regulations – A Practical Overview.