COMMENT
Your Rights As A Home Shopper

Like most people you are very likely to have done a bit of shopping from home. By that I mean ordering goods or services over the Internet, by telephone or by mail order. But did you know that you've got just as many rights if something goes wrong as you'd have if you'd bought something in a shop?

The Office of Fair Trading has decided to update its guidance for businesses to remind them of their obligations to customers under distance selling regulations. Under the usual consumer protection laws, all goods must be of satisfactory quality, fit for their purpose and as described and those rules apply just as much to Internet/phone/mail order goods.

But since October 2000 some extra regulations have been introduced which are designed to encourage confidence in the consumer by making up for the disadvantage they would otherwise incur of not being able to inspect the goods or services in question.

Consumers therefore are entitled to information as to the identity of the trader and a clear description of the goods he is selling as well being able to enjoy a cooling off period that is not available to the face-to-face shopper. In most cases you have seven working days to change your mind and cancel an order (and any related credit agreement).

If you sign a delivery note when you receive the goods, this does not mean you have signed away your right to reject them. Allowing the seller to try to put faulty goods right also does not affect your rights - if the repair fails you still have the right to reject the goods if they are faulty and you shouldn't be charged anything, including the cost of returning goods.

If you're buying a service, it should be carried out with reasonable care and skill and within a reasonable time - particularly if you have not agreed a completion date.

Note that these regulations don't apply if you buy privately or at auction so the rules are not applicable to the biggest online trading place of them all, Ebay. You'll only be protected by the regulations there if you go for the 'Buy It Now' option on the site and only then if you're buying directly from a business rather than an individual.