start up bus online, help with terms & conditions pls

purplepoppy_2

Hi
I'm just starting up my own business and other than selling my product at exhibitions and hopefully through retailers I am also going to be selling on my website.
I have a tab for terms & conditions as I was advised I needed to, but I am unsure of what I need to put there for legalities!
Can anyone help/advise pls, anything will be gratefully appreciated as I have never had my own business before.
Thankyou for reading my post.
Purplepoppy
:huh:

markandkate

copy and paste some one else's! Look at consumer Direct website

martindow

Ask business link maybe.

Not sure you have to have any, but they can help add trust to your business. People's rights with DSR and other consumer law cannot be over-ridden by terms and conditions you include. You will also need to register with the Information Commissioner if you are not already as you will be holding data - 35 pounds/pa.

I would not recommend copying anyone else's.

bingo_bango

You absolutely do need terms and conditions listed. These must include information on the right to return goods (unless exempted) under the Distance Selling Regs and how someone would go about doing so. You must also ensure that there are no misleading terms, and none which remove a consumer's statutory rights.

As a small business, you must also provide a physical address (in case legal papers need to be served on you - and a PO Box is not sufficient!) along with an email address, a landline number, and your own name if you are a sole trader.

As said above, don't simply copy someone else's. You can of course look at some of the big online retailers and see what info they have. They will have a dedicated legal team ensuring that they comply. It will give you a step in the right direction.

paulwf

I agree that tedious though it may be it is good to read up on and UNDERSTAND what your terms and conditions have to be then write it on your site in plain English. By all means use the T's and C's of other sites as a starting point to make sure you don't miss anything out.

I hate sites that don't make the basics such as delivery charge easily accessible, don't try and hide things from your customers. T's and C's reassure the customer (I wouldn't buy from a site without them) but they also protect you if there is a dispute, both sides will know where they stand.

Sadly a lot of people set up sites without T's and C's after seeing business listings on Ebay that state things like "no returns" which is unlawful due to DSR. I remember the days when Which? used to approve sites by checking your T's and C's for their legality...it's a shame the government or some other body didn't pick up the scheme.