Buying online

What rights do I have when buying from an overseas website?

It can be difficult and time-consuming to insist on your rights when you buy from an overseas website, although you are protected by EU consumer legislation whenever you make a purchase in Ireland or another Member State. The European Directive on Distance Selling and the EC Regulations 2001 aim to ensure that consumers receive the same minimum level of protection no matter where a supplier is based in the European Union, European Economic Area (EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) or Switzerland. According to legislation, goods must be genuine or the retailer is liable. If goods are not of an acceptable standard, you may be entitled to a repair, replacement, or refund. If the web trader is based in the EU, you also have entitlements under the EU distance selling regulations. If you order from a web trader based outside the EU, they may come under the jurisdiction ofwww.eConsumer.gov. Under the e-Commerce Directive, web traders must provide the name of the service provider, as well as geographic details including their email address. You should be very careful if you are ordering from a web trader based outside the EU, unless you know the company. When buying from an overseas website, you need to be particularly careful to identify the site’s warranty and refund policies, as well as looking for any statement as to which country’s laws will apply to your transaction.

Can I cancel my order after buying goods online?

Consumer law gives you the right to cancel an order during a ‘cooling off period.’ This means you can return an item or cancel a service within seven days. The cooling off period for online sales starts on the date the contract is concluded. During this time, the consumer can cancel a distance contract without giving any reason. If a supplier fails to provide written confirmation of the sale, the cooling off period is extended to three months from the date on which the goods were received. You will probably have to pay the cost of the returning the goods unless they are faulty, different to the item you ordered, or not of satisfactory quality. Remember that you must confirm your decision to cancel in writing by letter, fax or email.

I bought an mp3 player from a website but it turned out to be faulty. What can I do?

It is not a good idea to buy very expensive items online if you are not familiar with the company. However, your rights are the same whether you buy faulty goods online or from a shop. The web seller is obliged to solve the problem: he must repair, refund or replace the faulty item. If an item you bought is faulty you should immediately complain to the retailer in writing or cancel the order within the cooling off period. If things go wrong and the seller refuses to help you, you can make a claim. If the web trader is based in Ireland you can bring a case to the Small Claims Court; if the web trader is located outside the EU you should contact www.eConsumer.gov.

Don’t forget customs

When you purchase goods and bring them into the country, by post or in your baggage, you may have to pay tax and duty these on goods. How much you have to pay will depend on what you’re buying and where you’re buying it from.

The following document [opens as a .doc] explains the import charges due when you buy good from outside the EU and goods from within the EU.