Distance selling regulations for web sites

Home | Services | Portfolio | Knowledge base | Search site | About us | Client area | Contact us

If you sell to consumers via the internet, the Distance Selling Regulations 2000 probably apply to you.

The regulations

You must give certain information to customers to comply with the Distance Selling Regulations, and customers have an unconditional right to a ‘cooling off period’ in which they can cancel the contract. The regulations also apply to businesses that sell to consumers by mail order, phone, fax or digital TV.

The Distance Selling Regulations 2000 require you to set out:

• your business name and, if payment is required in advance, your postal address
• a description of the goods or services
• the full price, including all taxes
• details of any delivery costs
• details of how payment is to be made
• arrangements and date for delivery of goods or performance of services (within 30 days of the order if you don't specify a date)
• confirmation of the customer's right to cancel the order and details of who bears the cost of returning the goods if they do
• how long the offer or the price remains valid
• the minimum length of a contract to supply goods or services continuously (such as mobile phones) or concurrently (such as a monthly book club)

You must also specify if you want to offer substitute goods if those ordered aren't available. If you do, you must make it clear that you'll meet the costs if any replacement goods are returned.

From April 2005, you no longer have to provide all of these details to customers in writing before the contract is agreed, but you must still give certain information, including details of cancellation rights, before the order is made. This may be provided over the phone.

Exceptions

There are some exceptions to the regulations. Customers don’t have a right to cancel certain items, including:

• accommodation, transport, catering & leisure services
• food, drinks or goods delivered by a regular roundsman
• goods made to customer specification
• perishable goods
• audio or video recordings or computer software that the customer has opened
• newspapers or magazines
• betting, gaming and lotteries
• premium-rate telephone and website services

You generally don't need to provide prior information when you're selling:

• accommodation, transport, catering or leisure services
• timeshare arrangements
• food, drinks or goods delivered by a regular roundsman

This is only a summary of the main points of the Regulations. For further information, see the OFT website Guide to the Distance Selling Regulations.

More information

This is one article from the Knowledge Base provided by Johnpye.com. Follow these links for more information on business regulations.

• Data protection act
• Disability Discrimination Act
• Accessibility guidelines for Local Government

Articles in this knowledge base are provided in good faith, but no responsibility can be accepted for the information provided. The material is copyright.

Get started now!

If you have a business application on the iternet, don't wait! I can help you get real results - and there's no charge for a first meeting!

• Contact me

© 2005 John Pye Consulting Ltd.
Providing affordable and accessible web site design, web site audit, Internet consultancy and internet marketing advice for small businesses in Stamford. Oakham, Uppingham, Peterborough and the surrounding districts in East Anglia, Lincolnshire, Rutland, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and East Midlands.