Martyn: Over half of all online consumer electronic retailers in the European union is suspected of having broken consumer protection laws according to a European commission investigation. The commission looked at 369 websites in 28 countries selling gadgets. Alleged offenses include concealing delivery charges, misleading product information, and failing to honor consumer rights to return unwanted purchases.
Maglena: Under the EU rules, if you buy something on the internet, the trader must clearly inform you that you have the right for at least 7 days, longer in some countries, to change your mind without giving any reason, send the product back and get your money back. But on many websites, customers were either not told about this right at all or even worst, were misinformed. For instance, many websites indicated that the trader only accepts the product back if it is faulty or only provides store credit, but not a cash refund.
Martyn: Online sales of electronic goods totaled around 6.8 billion euros in 2007, that’s around 10 billion US dollars, roughly a quarter of all EU consumers who have shopped on line who have bought an electronic product. And the sector accounts for about a third of all consumer complaints resulting from online purchases. Almost half of the websites have failed to give clear details about delivery charges.
Maglena: If you live in France, and you like to buy a digital camera from Belgium website, you should be able to find clear information on the delivery rates to France before you agree to buy the camera.
Martyn: Consumer groups will now contact the alleged offenders ordering them to conform with consumer protection laws. Websites could be shut down if problems persist. The commission didn’t name the sites but some consumer groups did, in Iceland, 10 were named, including Vodafone’s local website there and online retailer Computer.is.
Maglena: Now, the enforcements phase starts. In the coming months, national enforcements authorities will contact the companies managing the websites concerned and ask them to clarify the situation or bring the sites in line with the law.
Martyn: With reporting by Paul Miller in Brussels, this is Martyn Williams, IDG News Service.
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