Reading 3

 

Customer’s Rights when Buying Items over the Internet

Read the text and say whether it is difficult to complain when buying on-line or not. If yes, why? If no, why?

When buying at a distance, i.e. on the Internet, over the telephone or through a catalogue you have additional rights to those of the Sale of Goods Act. These rights are under the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 and give you 7 working days, starting the day after receipt of the goods, in which to change your mind. This is due to the fact that when you are buying at a distance you are unable to inspect the goods for example, by seeing that they fit or are what you expected as the photographs used on some websites, etc. can sometimes make the item look slightly different.

When buying on the doorstep you also have a 7 day cooling off period. To cancel your order it must be done within the time limit and must be put in writing. Items that you do not have a right to cancel:

1. Perishable items such as flowers

2. Magazines and newspapers

3. Items subject to hygiene issues such as earrings

4. CDs/DVDs where a security seal has been broken

5. Personalized items such as a football shirt with your name on the back

6. Services that start immediately and where you have been informed of your cancellation right and given the required information

 

Say if the following statements True or False? And why?

1. If you take something to the till that is labelled as costing £20.00 and when the sales assistant scans the item into the till the price that comes up is £40.00 instead, the shop does not have to sell it to you for £20.00.

2. A trader does not have to sell you any goods if they do not want to.

3. If you pay for an item costing £100 or more on your credit card, the credit card company is jointly liable with the retailer if something goes wrong.

4. You are entitled by law to return something from a shop if it does not fit.

5. If an item becomes faulty you must contact the manufacturer of the product, not the trader.

6. You have a legal right to return any goods purchased in a shop within 28 days