Your consumer rights when shopping online

Shopping online can be more convenient and cheaper than the high street. But it does have some drawbacks that can mean you need legal advice. It can be easy to make a mistake when ordering online, or you may change your mind when you receive the items. Sometimes the item you receive isn’t what you expected.

Buying services online such as contracts for mobile phones and broadband is becoming commonplace for many of us. But if you change your mind and want to cancel a service agreement bought online, you can face stumbling blocks.

Knowing your consumer rights as an online shopper can help you get a refund should purchases go wrong and not be fobbed off with wrong information from the retailer.

Which? Legal can help

Our specialist advisers can answer all your consumer rights questions about online returns and refunds, and provide legal advice on how to solve problems with goods bought online. This includes what to do when:

• Goods you bought online don’t turn up, or goods that you previously cancelled arrive
• The online seller sends a substitute item that you didn’t want
• The seller wants to charge you for the cost of returning the goods
• You’ve been asked to pay the seller’s re-stocking fee
• Goods you ordered online arrive damaged
• You want to cancel the goods that you’ve ordered
• Cancelling online service contracts