BuySpy - guide to safe shopping online

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BUYSPY- your guide to safe shopping online

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Find shopping information and reviews of the best UK shops online including electrical shops such as Currys, Empire Direct, 24-7 Electrical, and many other shops in various categories.

Is it safe to shop online?

Some people are still wary about shopping on the internet, so what protection do you have when purchasing goods online? A quick overview of online security methods used by e-commerce sites can be found by clicking here. Details of the 'Consumer and Protection' policy, which relate to distance selling regulations and e-commerce, can also be found at the Dti website and are briefly outlined below...

The Law

Existing consumer protection law, including that on the sale of goods and misleading advertising, also applies online.

Additional pieces of legislation have been drawn up with the Internet in mind:

Distance Selling Regulations give protection to consumers who shop by phone, mail order, via the Internet or digital TV: The protection includes:

The right to receive clear information about goods and services before deciding to buy
Confirmation of this information in writing
A cooling off period of seven working days in which the consumer can withdraw from the contract
Protection from credit card fraud

E-commerce Regulations put the EC Directive on E-commerce into UK law. Amongst other things the Directive requires Member States to ensure that contracts can be concluded electronically. DTI is examining its consumer legislation to ensure that it does not prevent contracts from being made online.

Surveys continue to show that uncertainty about traders’ legal responsibilities and problems in obtaining redress when transactions go wrong are particular barriers to consumer trust on the internet.

Information for consumers on online shopping is available from many sources, including the UK Government’s Consumer Direct (www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/), the Office of Fair Trading (www.oft.gov.uk), and consumer organisations, magazines and other media.

A fact sheet about distance selling regulations, which covers frequently asked questions about internet, mail order and telephone shopping can be found at the Dti website by clicking here