Online shoppers set new records during the 1999 holiday season, racking up billions of dollars in Internet purchases. Industry and media reports suggest that even more consumers are likely to be shopping online now. But what happens if an e-tailer doesn't meet a delivery promise?
By law, retailers - including e-tailers - are required to ship an order within the time stated on their website (or in their ads) or at the time the order is placed. If a company doesn't promise a time, it must ship the order within 30 days after receiving it. And if the company is unable to ship within the promised time, it is required to give the buyer an "option notice," which allows the consumer to agree to the delay or cancel the order and receive a prompt refund.
If you have an unsatisfactory online shopping experience, the best course of action is to contact the retailer. If you're dissatisfied with the way the matter is handled, take your business elsewhere in the future. However, it is important to recognize that while some business practices-such as notifying the consumer that the order will be delayed in a less-timely manner than the consumer would like-may be poor customer service, they're not necessarily against the law.
The Federal Trade Commission would like to hear from consumers about their online shopping experiences.
Courtesy of the FTC
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