Online shopping problems FAQs
Responsibility for damaged goods you have ordered online
I bought a portable DVD player when shopping online, but when it arrived the screen was smashed. The online shop says to take it up with the courier company. Can it do this?
No. The law says the online shop is responsible for the quality and condition of the goods up until you receive them. Tell the online shop to send you a new DVD player, or give your money back. If it refuses or doesn't respond, you could warn them that you intend to start court action if it doesn't replace the item or give you a refund.
The online shop is responsible for problems with damaged goods, not the courier
Wrong prices on an online shop
While shopping online I came across an offer that was hard to believe - a laptop for £9.99. I ordered one straight away, but the online shop says it was a mistake and won't sell me one at that price. Don't they have to sell it to me for £9.99?
First check the email response you got from the online shop when you placed your order. If they only acknowledged the order, then you have no contract to hold them to.
If the order was accepted, it depends on whether you knew or ought to have known that the online shop had made a mistake with the price. Ultimately, a court decides that, but if an offer seems too good to be true, chances are the online shop won't have to supply the goods. Of course, they'd have to refund your £9.99.
Prices rising after buying your shopping online
Last night I was looking at an online supermarket and saw a half-price offer on champagne. The offer was due to expire that night, so I ordered 20 bottles. When they were delivered two days later I was stunned to discover that I'd been charged full price. Is this legal?
The online shop's terms and conditions may say that your order is only accepted when they start taking the items you've ordered off the shelves, and you'll be charged the price of the goods at that time. That is why most online supermarkets offer a 'guide price' for your shopping, as prices can fluctuate between when you place your order and when payment is taken.
So if your order was processed after the offer had expired, they would be able to charge you the full price. But you don't have to pay; you can choose to send the champagne back with the delivery driver.
The online shop delivered the wrong item
I ordered a black jacket, but a blue one turned up. It only cost £30 but it's going to cost £10 to return it, which the shop says I have to pay. If I'd known it was going to be blue I'd never have placed the order, do I have to pay this?
No. You only have to pay to return the jacket if you've just changed your mind about it. But since the jacket wasn't what you ordered, you can insist that the online shop either collects it or reimburses the cost of sending it back.
