International Safer Internet Day is on Tuesday 12th February, and Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards Service is marking the day by providing advice and information on how consumers can shop safely online.
The United Kingdom has one of the highest proportions of Internet shoppers with 53% of all individuals aged 16 to 74 ordering goods or services on line in 2007. This is much greater than the 30% European average. Consumers in the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark are also big Internet shoppers, whilst Bulgarian and Romanian consumers are at the bottom of the Internet shopper league.
Here are Warwickshire Trading Standards 10 Top Tips:
- Be careful when you give your credit or debit card details on the Internet – look for the closed padlock sign.
- The trader must give their name and a geographical address, not just a PO Box number, and not just their e-mail address*.
- Shop around for the best deals and prices. In most cases, you are entitled to a seven working day cancellation period where you can change your mind*, but this usually does not apply to 'auction' sites.
- Watch out for high postage rates and for other hidden costs, such as VAT and other duty payable, particularly if goods are being sent from abroad.
- Try to get personal recommendations for companies you have not done business with before.
- Goods being sent from abroad may take some time to be delivered. Set a delivery day, if that is important to you. Where no delivery date has been agreed, delivery must be within thirty days*.
- Check what the company's policy is on returning goods that you don't like or have changed your mind about, and find out who pays for the return postage.
- If possible, pay by credit card as this may give you additional protection in some circumstances, for example if you goods don’t arrive or the trader goes bust (payment must be over £100).
- Be wary of buying very expensive items from companies outside the UK or Europe unless you know them well - that way, if things do go wrong, you limit the risk.
- Print out the order, and keep any terms and conditions that appear on the web site, just in case of any disputes or problems later on.
(*applies across the EU)
Safer Internet Day is a yearly event, taking place in the month of February. It is organised by Insafe, the European Internet Safety Network. In 2007, 43 countries from all over the world participated in Safer Internet Day. The 5th edition of SID will take place on 12 February 2008 www.saferinternet.org
Figures sourced from the Statistical Office of the European Communities
|