Latest Research Shows Many Online Retailers Are Failing Their Customers

Whether your entire retail business operates online, or the internet is part of a multi-channel strategy, you need to ensure that you are complying with the Distance Selling Regulations (the "Regulations") to keep customers happy.

Research published this month by eDigitalResearch, suggests that some retailers are letting their customers down when it comes to informing them of their basic consumer rights and complying with them.

The research (The Retail Bulletin) found that:

40% of those surveyed claimed that on at least one occasion, delivery costs were not refunded when returning an item, and of these 88% were told by the retailer that delivery costs were non-refundable. The Regulations require retailers selling via any distance selling channel to refund any money paid by the consumer when the contract is cancelled. The DTi guidance on distance selling indicates that the full price of the goods or any deposit, together with the cost of delivery, must be refunded. That is not to say that the retailer is to be out of pocket, as the customer can be charged the direct costs of returning unwanted or unsuitable goods provided that this right is clearly brought to the consumers' attention as part of the order process. 5% of those surveyed claimed to have had a return rejected in the past with 22% of those shoppers being told it was because the item was not in its original packaging. The consumer's right to cancel a distance contract is not terminated if goods are not in their original packaging; however, the Regulations impose an obligation on the consumer to take reasonable care of goods. If this is to be a requirement of the reseller in the case of the return of unwanted goods, then this must be made clear in the pre-contract information provided to the consumer. However, there is no...