Distance Selling Exemption ?

zackary71

Thanks for replies...it's probably best to clarify as I may have confused the issue with my choice of words.
I would not hold any stock whatsoever.
The process would be:
1) customer purchases print online choosing 1 of 3 sizes
2) the following day, order placed with white label supplier/manufacturer
3) supplier despatches print approx 1 week later.

I'm not worried about the quality issue as they're excellent standard. Likewise, I don't envisage many returns but hoped to clarify the situation.:)

From the DirectGov website, I would believe that as the prints are indeed manufactured to order, then I would be exempt from DSR.

Premier_2

zackary71 wrote: »

Thanks for replies...it's probably best to clarify as I may have confused the issue with my choice of words.
I would not hold any stock whatsoever.
The process would be:
1) customer purchases print online choosing 1 of 3 sizes
2) the following day, order placed with white label supplier/manufacturer
3) supplier despatches print approx 1 week later.

I'm not worried about the quality issue as they're excellent standard. Likewise, I don't envisage many returns but hoped to clarify the situation.:)

From the DirectGov website, I would believe that as the prints are indeed manufactured to order, then I would be exempt from DSR.

I doesn't matter. The item is a stock item (you just order it as required) and could be resold if returned. The exemption applies to personalised items such as if someone orders t-shirt with a personalised logo on it, or has a dress made to measure.

In your case, it may be considered personalised if the customer could specify the exact size of print (and then it was manufactured to that specific size), but they can't - you give them a choice of three only as that is all your supplier stocks (like footwear)
The fact you don't order your stock until your customer orders from you does not make it exempt from DSRs

paulwf

You need to put yourself in the position of the customer. This thread is part of that research and it would suggest that a number of people - who generally on this board have considered the situation more than the average customer - would expect you to offer a return. Therefore whatever the rights or wrongs in law I would suggest you have a customer friendly returns policy so that you enjoy your job instead of dealing with abuse, and also to stop returns being made because the customer has just discovered the print is ripped (you can't prove they just knifed it).

Running a business involves some give and take with customers and there are times when you make a loss on a transaction. This is why you need a healthy gross profit margin so you can take the hit and move on. The companies that run on a 5% margin are generally the ones that have dreadful customer service, with exceptions being the very large scale box shifters but they can operate on those margins because their economies of scale are astronomical.

soolin

I agree with paulwf business is difficult enough without looking for ways to get round the rights of buyers. None of us would have a business if it wasn't for customers and it pays to not only give them their rights, but to go a bit further wherever possible.

We are up against the big shops and we need customers to trust us.

As I said earlier drop shipping is often a recipe for disaster but it might be possible on your own standalone website but is almost impossible on sites like ebay where buyers are asked to rate buyers and with drop shippers taking longer to ship than the average sole seller those stars will suffer.

martindow

I think the test of whether DSRs apply would be how you present your products. If you have a catalogue or web site offering a specific range of pictures and available sizes these would be stock items in my opinion - how they are produced to fulfil orders is not relevant.