'Should we order EVERYTHING online?' blog discussion

spikeydudeuk

Distance selling regulations mean if you no longer want them, you’ve a week to return goods bought online. With goods ordered instore for delivery, you only have a right of return if they’re faulty.

Generally, this is great advice. But you have to be very careful if you're buying anything that's made to order. Regulation 13 of the DSRs states that the right to return within 7 days doesn't apply to contracts:

(c)for the supply of goods made to the consumer’s specifications or clearly personalised

In particular, a lot of furniture, and particularly sofas, are made to order - and if this is the case, it's fairly clear that the DSRs won't apply. If you're ordering from Argos or Tesco, you're probably fine - but other retailers (including M&S) build furniture to order. If it's built to order, then don't rely on your right to return it!

There are a few other exceptions in the DSRs too, but they apply in fairly narrow circumstances. Just make sure you check out the small print in the Regs before you rely too heavily on the extra protection they give.

Also - if a shop has a policy saying it will take something back within 28 days if you change your mind, and the policy is clearly stated in store or on the back of your receipt, then this is a term of your contract with the store. So if you buy offline in a shop with a decent returns policy, you might have *more* legal rights than if you bought online at a shop that just gave you your basic DSR rights.

brickhammerman

I have had no mail delivered for eleven days yet i know people have sent me many items! ....i hear about airlines, train operators.ect being penalised for poor performance "what if "any? legislation is in place for non performance by royal mail and is the public due any compensation?...years ago come winter all royal mail vehicles had winter tyres fitted prior to the onset of winter and also had land rovers in there fleet.even if deliveries had been made every other day it would have been something but to make no attempt at all in nearly two weeks! and to have no contingency plan in place show they hold nothing but contempt for the public ,and the pride the postmen took years ago to deliver mail has been diluted by a total lack of leadership/management

fozmcfc

Im all for buying online and at least 90% of my non food purchases are done online, but there are some items worth buying offline.

I'll buy offine-

1/ If it is the same price and more convenient.

2/ If I need the item now this minute, when even tomorrow won't do.

3/ If it is a low priced item but bulky (like blank discs for instance) and therefore requires someone in to accept delivery and I can't guarantee someone being in, even if I do know the day of arrival.

4/ If it is cheaper offline (rare but does happen).

But everything else, such as holidays, flights, dvds, games I'll buy online 99% of the time.

Narc

It's a tradeoff between freezing for 20mins in the cold at the delivery office on a Saturday or higher high street prices, crowds traffic jams and lack of choice.

CJAYSTA

60% of the time, I order online everytime

Ron Burgandy: That doesn't make any sense...

wealdroam

spikeydudeuk wrote: »

Generally, this is great advice. But you have to be very careful if you're buying anything that's made to order. Regulation 13 of the DSRs states that the right to return within 7 days doesn't apply to contracts:

(c)for the supply of goods made to the consumer’s specifications or clearly personalised

In particular, a lot of furniture, and particularly sofas, are made to order - and if this is the case, it's fairly clear that the DSRs won't apply. If you're ordering from Argos or Tesco, you're probably fine - but other retailers (including M&S) build furniture to order. If it's built to order, then don't rely on your right to return it!

Good point Spikeydudeuk, but it may not be that bad.

Paragraph 3.38 of the OFT's guide to the regulations says (amongst other things)...

3.38 Unless you have agreed that they can, your consumers cannot cancel if the order is for:
the supply of goods made to the consumer’s own specification such as custom-made blinds or curtains. But this exception does not apply to upgrade options such as choosing alloy wheels when buying a car; or opting for add-on memory or choosing a combination of standard-off-the shelf components when ordering a PC, for example.

So made to order doesn't appear to be the same as made to the customer's specification.

clarkey3262

spikeydudeuk wrote: »

Generally, this is great advice. But you have to be very careful if you're buying anything that's made to order. Regulation 13 of the DSRs states that the right to return within 7 days doesn't apply to contracts:

Just to clarify it is inform the retailer of your wish to cancel and return within 7 days, not return the item within 7 days.

shortchanged_2

Errata wrote: »

Shopping is about far more than looking at a picture and clicking on a mouse.

If you're female it is.

WhiteHorse

Ordering online means delivery problems for most people.

It will also enable retailers to pass off even more rubbish as good quality goods (relying on the fact that a sizeable number of people will be unable or unwilling to bothered to return it).

nomadicnanny

'Homeworks' in wareham keeps going because of online shopping. So, the advantages are 1. We keep an independant shop in the town. 2. Prices are kept low due to bulk buying. So, thanks to everyone who shops online.