{"id":7050,"date":"2023-05-30T07:13:59","date_gmt":"2023-05-30T07:13:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theukrules.co.uk\/?page_id=7050"},"modified":"2023-08-31T09:42:51","modified_gmt":"2023-08-31T09:42:51","slug":"consumer-rights-online-shopping","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.theukrules.co.uk\/rules\/business\/sale-of-goods-and-services\/consumer-rights-online-shopping\/","title":{"rendered":"What are Your Consumer Rights When Shopping Online in UK"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>How to Research Internet Businesses in UK<\/h2>\n<p>There are several ways that ordering and buying online can end as a bad experience. The most common include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Slow delivery of goods<\/li>\n<li>Non-delivery of goods<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/rules\/media\/types-of-internet-scams-online\/\">Internet frauds and scams<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Three popular ways to shop the Internet are through a website, an online marketplace, or on a social media platform. No matter which you use, it can be difficult to know who you are actually dealing with.<\/p>\n<p>To prove a point, a business may not be a UK based company even though the web address ends in &#8216;.co.uk&#8217;. But, there are ways to check if the seller has a contact address in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n<p>The best advice is to do some research, using the Internet, before you buy online. Internet research can help you spot problems with a business you are planning to deal with.<\/p>\n<p>So how can you research an online business to see if it has a bad reputation? One way is to enter the business name and the word &#8216;scam&#8217; into a search engine. You should see a list of results about that company. Other ways include searching forums and online reviews.<\/p>\n<p>Check through any reviews and feedback given on Internet based sellers. But, beware of <a href=\"\/rules\/media\/website\/fake-reviews\/\">fake customer reviews<\/a> as part of your general research.<\/p>\n<p>There are common signs of fakes. They tend to be over-complimentary and somewhat &#8216;at odds&#8217; with other reviews posted. So, always check several reviews to get a true picture of website trading.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>Consumer Rights Online Shopping<\/h2>\n<p>As a consumer, you have legal rights when buying goods online from a trader. All goods bought online must:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Be of satisfactory quality.<\/li>\n<li>Be as described and fit for the intended purpose.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In most cases, you should get a refund, replacement, or repair if there is a problem with the item. As a rule, you get thirty (30) days from the purchase date for <a href=\"\/rules\/business\/sale-of-goods-and-services\/returns-and-refunds\/\">product return and refunds<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Beside this, you should also get up to fourteen (14) days once you receive the goods to change your mind and get a full refund.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Note<\/strong>: If the trader cannot repair or replace the goods you would get up to six (6) months to claim a refund.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><\/p>\n<h3>Buying from a Private Seller<\/h3>\n<p>Be aware that your rights as a consumer would differ if you buy goods online from a private seller. Take extra care when ordering items on social media platforms or at online marketplaces. Amazon, eBay, and Gumtree are among the most popular.<\/p>\n<p>As a rule, there is only one requirement when you buy goods online from a private seller. The goods must be &#8216;as described&#8217; by the seller. You could have practical difficulties trying to sort out an issue because the sellers may be outside the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Note<\/strong>: The <a href=\"\/rules\/business\/sale-of-goods-and-services\/\">sale of goods and services law<\/a> provides further information and guidance on sellers&#8217; responsibilities.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>Advice About Online Shopping<\/h2>\n<p>There are several preventative measures you can take before buying something online:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Avoid buying fake goods or copies. Ignorance would be little defense if you end up buying counterfeit goods online. Always check the small print on &#8216;free&#8217; or &#8216;low-cost&#8217; trial goods.<\/li>\n<li>Buy from an official website if you are shopping online for events tickets.<\/li>\n<li>Try to ensure the website you are going to buy from is authentic. Pay particular attention to the payment page and check it for security. A website URL address that starts with &#8216;https&#8217; (with a closed padlock in the address bar) is verified and secured.<\/li>\n<li>You should always avoid paying by bank or money transfers. These are the preferred <a href=\"\/rules\/media\/types-of-internet-scams-online\/\">payment methods used by Internet scammers<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>It is best to pay for goods online using a credit or debit card (or other secure payment method e.g. PayPal).<\/li>\n<li>Check for any <a href=\"\/rules\/business\/sale-of-goods-and-services\/unfair-contract-terms\/\">unfair contract terms and conditions<\/a> displayed by the seller. Read through any dispute resolution systems and consumer cancellation rights.<\/li>\n<li>Always <a href=\"\/rules\/lifestyle\/writing\/creating-a-strong-password\/\">create a secure password<\/a> (if needed) and log out of an online shopping account after making a payment.<\/li>\n<li>Beware of emails or text messages from parcel delivery firms informing you to open an attachment for the delivery note. A genuine delivery firm would not send this kind of instruction.<\/li>\n<li>Be extra cautious of any links or attachments in unexpected emails or text messages.<\/li>\n<li>Some unscrupulous businesses may tell you to make a bank transfer because their card facilities &#8216;are down&#8217;. If this happens, the best advice would be to try buying from another online company instead.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>Complaints about Online Shopping Websites<\/h2>\n<p>UK law protects consumers rights when buying goods or services through the Internet. Check who to contact for <a href=\"\/rules\/legal\/citizenship\/consumer-protection-rights\/\">consumer protection advice<\/a> and how to complain about a bad online experience.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"updated-data\"><strong>Legal Rights of Consumers When Shopping Online in United Kingdom<\/strong><br \/>\n<time datetime=\"2022-01-01\">Last Updated 2022<\/time><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to Research Internet Businesses in UK There are several ways that ordering and buying online can end as a bad experience. The most common include: Slow delivery of goods Non-delivery of goods Internet frauds and scams Three popular ways to shop the Internet are through a website, an online marketplace, or on a social&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theukrules.co.uk\/rules\/business\/sale-of-goods-and-services\/consumer-rights-online-shopping\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">What are Your Consumer Rights When Shopping Online in UK<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":778,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What are Your Consumer Rights When Shopping Online in UK - UK Rules<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theukrules.co.uk\/rules\/business\/sale-of-goods-and-services\/consumer-rights-online-shopping\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What are Your Consumer Rights When Shopping Online in UK - UK Rules\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How to Research Internet Businesses in UK There are several ways that ordering and buying online can end as a bad experience. 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