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FAQs - Online shopping

Online shopping

These questions were put to and answered by a European consumer advice service. Do you have questions of your own? Contact your local European Consumer Centre.

Returns and cancellations

  • Five weeks ago I ordered an out-of-print book online. It was bought for my husband's birthday, which has passed without my receiving the order. What can I do?

    If a product you order is not delivered within 30 days, you can cancel the order. If you have already paid, the seller must give you a refund within 30 days.

  • I bought a kitchen table from a catalogue but now I've changed my mind. Can I cancel my order?

    YES - You have seven days to change your mind and cancel your purchase. This is true whenever you buy goods outside a shop - for example by phone, fax, mail order or on the internet. The seven-day period starts from the moment you receive the goods.

  • I bought a ticket for a U2 concert online. It turns out I can no longer go. Can I get a refund? 

    NO - Although you have a seven-day period in which to cancel purchases made online or through other methods of distance selling (such as phone or mail order), there are exceptions for holiday, travel, accommodation, and leisure-services bookings. For these types of online purchases, the seller does not have to give you a refund if you cancel your order.

    However, the seller’s own terms and conditions may allow you to cancel and receive a full or partial refund. Read the small print of your contract to see if this is the case.

  • I bought some music tracks online that I immediately downloaded. There are a few I do not like, but I have already paid for them. Can I ask for a refund on those tracks? I bought them only yesterday.  

    NO - Even though the seven-day "cooling off" period for online purchases is not yet over, by downloading the tracks you have bought a service and have already used it. You cannot cancel a service which has already started, with your agreement.

  • I have received a camera that I bought online, but it is not what I expected. I'm concerned because I've already paid for it. Can I send it back for a refund?  

    YES - When you buy something online, you have seven working days after receiving it to decide whether or not to keep it. You don’t need to give any reason. Simply inform the seller that you wish to cancel your order – they must give you a refund.  This refund will include any costs you paid to have the item delivered to you.

    However, you must cover the cost of shipping the unwanted product back to the seller.

    You should also be aware that distance selling legislation does not apply to online auctions or to financial services, transport, accommodation, catering or leisure-services bookings.

  • I ordered a CD that I never received. I contacted the seller, who says it is the postal service that is responsible, not him. Is he right?  

    NO - The seller is responsible for the delivery of your purchase. It is the seller who must contact the delivery service and prove that the product was delivered. If the seller cannot prove this, they must send you the product again or give you a refund.

Repairs, replacements, refunds

  • Goods that I bought online weren't delivered/arrived damaged, what can I do?

    When you shop online, you have the same rights as when you buy in a shop:

    • if you buy goods that are of unsatisfactory quality, you may be entitled to have them repaired, replaced, refunded or reduced in price - depending on the circumstances.
    • any information about goods or services should be accurate and not misleading. If you have been given false or misleading information, you may be entitled to a refund.

    Check the terms and conditions and the returns policy of the seller's website. Contact them to explain the problem and ask for a solution. If you don't get a satisfactory response and the seller is based in the EU, you can contact the European consumer centre in your home country.

  • I bought a guitar from an online shop, but it arrived broken. The seller doesn't want to send me a new guitar or give me a refund, since he says the damage is not his fault but the shipping company's. Is he right?

    NO - The seller is responsible for the shipping of your purchase. The seller must repair or replace your guitar or give you a refund.

    When you have goods delivered, it is always a good idea to check the condition of your purchases in the presence of the delivery person, so that it cannot be claimed that the damage was done after the article was in your possession.

  • I ordered a CD that I never received. I contacted the seller, who says it's the postal service that's responsible, not him. Is he right?  

    NO - The seller is responsible for the delivery of your purchase. It is the seller who must contact the delivery service and prove that the product was delivered. If the seller cannot prove this, they must send you the product again or give you a refund.

  • The printer I bought four weeks ago on a website has just broken down. What can I do?

    You have the same consumer rights as you would had you bought it in a shop, i.e. a two-year guarantee for new goods.

    If your printer broke down within six months of delivery, contact the seller. He must repair or replace your printer or give you a refund if repairs or replacement are impossible. After six months, you must prove that you did not cause the machine to break down, which can be difficult.

Auction sites

  • I bought a coffee-maker on an online auction but it doesn't work. What can I do?

    When you buy from a private individual, you have neither the right to cancel your purchase after delivery nor the legal guarantees you have when buying from a professional seller.

    In this case, all you can rely on is the information you had at the time of purchase. If the product you bought is not as described, you can send it back and ask for a refund.

    Don't hesitate to ask private sellers detailed questions in order to avoid unpleasant surprises!

  • What are my rights when I buy goods from an online auction site?

    Auction sites differ from online stores in a number of key ways:

    When you buy something at an internet auction, you are not necessarily protected by distance selling legislation. Auctions are specifically excluded from these EU laws, although some countries have extended the distance selling legislation to include internet auctions.

    If you are purchasing goods from a private individual rather than a company, as is often the case for online auctions, the transaction is not covered by consumer legislation. A 'consumer' transaction involves a private individual buying goods or services from a seller acting in the course of his business, trade or profession, as opposed to two individuals acting in a private capacity.

    However, all reputable online auction sites offer buyers some degree of protection, plus plenty of advice about safe shopping on their site.

Safety

  • An online seller is asking me for a lot of personal details. Should I be concerned?  

    In order to buy things online, you must give the seller certain personal details (usually your name, address and bank details). However, the website must state to what degree your private data will be protected.

    The website must give you the option to refuse data collection and say that you do not want your contact details used for any other purpose than the transaction in question. In practice, this is usually done by ticking a box on the order form.

  • I want to buy a washing machine from a German website. I can't find the seller’s contact details anywhere on the site. Is this normal?

    NO - By law the seller must give basic information on their website so that you can contact them in case of problems. This includes the name of the company, its registration number, physical location (not simply a P.O. box), email address and phone number.

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