Web users unsure of shopping rights

Consumers are flummoxed when it comes to knowing their rights while shopping online, a new report has found.

Two-fifths of UK shoppers have said they didn't sort things out when an online purchase went wrong because they were unsure of their rights.

Just under half of UK shoppers (43 per cent) said they didn’t know how to complain about a faulty product bought online, 66 per cent didn’t realise they have up to seven working days to cancel their order, 54 per cent didn’t know how to return a faulty item and a whopping 84 per cent didn't know that that a website has to refund money within 30 days if they can't supply the goods in that period.

The research from consumer review and price comparison website Ciao claims many e-tailers are taking advantage of this bewilderment. Over 85 per cent of shoppers who have returned faulty products say they have been offered a credit note or replacement, rather than a statutory refund, while 58 per cent were offered a repair.

Max Cartellieri, chief executive of Ciao said: “Our survey shows consumers do not understand where they stand when they shop online. However, we believe that e-tailers should be doing more to make shoppers aware of their rights and should be offering refunds, rather than trying to get away with credit notes and repairs where goods are faulty.

“Many consumers are already wary of shopping online and this kind of behaviour does little to reassure them – the e-commerce community needs to do more to help customers to get all that they are entitled to.”