Before shopping on the Internet

There are a number of things it may be useful for you to be aware of before you buy on the Internet. Find out what your rights are in relation to complaints and guarantees, look for certification labels, and be on your guard if the price is too good to be true.

Don’t go exclusively for the lowest price

Even though it might be tempting it is not always a good idea to go for the lowest price. If the price seems to be too good to be true – then it probably is!

Price is one of the best indicators for pages whose only objective is to trick money out of people. Even where fraud is not involved and you actually get the goods you have ordered, very low prices may have the added effect that the dealer’s profit is so small that there are no resources left to deal with subsequent contacts from customers regarding, for example, complaints about defects or cancellation of a purchase.

A low price is therefore not always a good bargain.

Check the seller’s contact information

First do some surfing on the website. Do you have other contact information than an email address or a contact form? According to the Danish E-Commerce Act, the seller is required to give contact information on his or her website, so if you cannot find the information, this might indicate that the seller does not want to be contacted after the sale.

Look for trust-mark schemes

Check whether the website has been registered with one or more trust-mark schemes. Most countries have national quality marks, which show that the dealer concerned has stated that he is prepared to comply with the legislation of the country concerned in areas such as personal data, contact information, fulfilment of the contract and cancellation right. In Denmark, we have, for example, the E-mark, which is administered by the E-Commerce Foundation.

If you see a quality mark on the website you should check that the seller has not just ’borrowed’ the mark for his website but is in fact a member of the scheme. You do this by clicking on the logo of the quality mark. The administrator of the scheme will then normally confirm that the seller has been registered. The scope of the schemes varies, so it is also a good idea to examine the requirements for the website that must be met to obtain the mark.

Our shopping assistant, Howard, can help you find out which trust-mark schemes apply in the seller’s home country.

Check the seller’s information about your rights

Check the seller’s terms and conditions of sale and delivery. If they are not there at all or if they try to reduce your rights in connection with complaints or the cancellation right, it may be difficult to have a claim accepted at a later date.

Terms and conditions of sale and delivery will often contain information about time of delivery and price indications. The seller is required to state the price inclusive of VAT and excise duties, and unless you agree otherwise with the seller, he must deliver the ordered goods not later than 30 days after the order is placed.

Complaint conditions

When you buy goods you have a minimum of two years’ right of complaint in relation to the seller no matter which EU country you have been shopping in. In some countries the right of complaint time-limit is even longer.

If the goods you have received are defective you must contact the seller and inform him thereof within a reasonable period after you discovered the defect. If you react within two months your complaint will always have been made in time. You should describe the nature of the defect and what you want to be done about it. This applies even if the seller is resident in another country.

If the defect arises or becomes apparent within the first six months after delivery, it may be presumed that the defect was also there at the time of delivery and that the seller must therefore repair the defect.

If, on the other hand, the defect arises during the remaining 18 months it is normally you who must prove that the defect was there already at the time of delivery.

As a starting point you have the choice of remedy (repair) or replacement (a new product) unless these possibilities are disproportionate or impossible for the seller. Repair or replacement must be made within a reasonable period of time without major inconvenience to you and free of charge. This means, among other things, that the seller must pay the transport costs.

If the seller cannot or will not repair or replace the goods you may instead claim a price reduction or cancellation of the purchase. 

Read more about complaints

Examine whether others have had bad experiences

It is always a good idea to make a search on the company’s name on the Internet. If other people have had bad experiences with a certain dealer they will often have written about it in various chat rooms.

Get the guarantee in writing

Often the seller states that a product is comprised by a producer guarantee so that you can have the product repaired anywhere in Europe. However, this is not always true. A producer guarantee often lapses if the product was imported in parallel.

Generally you should be aware of who gives a potential guarantee and what the guarantee covers. In a number of cases the guarantee does not grant you more rights than those you already have under the legislation. In other cases you may be placed in a much better position than if you did not have the guarantee.

You should make up your mind as to how important a guarantee is for you and for your decision. If it is crucial to your decision you should obtain the guarantee in writing, preferably furnished with the dealer’s stamp.