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12 Oct 00

DON'T GET CAUGHT IN THE WEB

Poole's shoppers will be able to get the best advice on safe 'click and easy' shopping at the Dolphin Shopping Centre on Thursday 19 October.

Members of Borough of Poole's Consumer Protection Services will be on hand between 10am and 4pm to answer your questions on internet shopping as part of National Consumer Week.

An increasing number of consumers are turning to their computers to buy all kinds of goods and services from CDs, books and cars to holidays, banking and houses. However, whilst being a more convenient and less time consuming way to shop, internet shopping can have its own problems and risks.

Peter Pawlowski, Head of Consumer Protection Services, said: "It is a good idea to get advice before shopping on-line. There are a number of websites which provide very helpful information. It is also advisable to deal with companies which you know and trust or, alternatively, look for traders on secure sites which may offer some protection".

On 31 October 2000 the "Consumer Protection Distance Selling Regulations", which aim to give consumers protection, come into force.

For further information and advice on internet shopping, visit the Consumer Protection Services' display in the Dolphin Centre or visit the Borough of Poole's website www.poole.gov.uk. Alternatively, Poole Consumer Protection Officers provide a confidential, impartial advice service to both consumers and traders in Poole on the civil law relating to the provision of goods and services.

For more information contact Consumer Protection Services, New Fields Business Park, 2 Stinsford Road, Poole, BH17 0NF, tel. (01202) 261700. Residents and traders of Bournemouth or the remainder of Dorset should contact Trading Standards at Bournemouth (01202 451551) or Dorset County Council (01305 224012).

TOP 10 TIPS FOR SAFER ON-LINE SHOPPING
1. Be careful when you give your credit or debit card details on the Internet. Always find out whether the company has a 'secure' site.
2. Try to get an actual address and telephone number for a company, not just their e-mail address.
3. As with any type of purchase, shop around for the best deals and prices.
4. Watch out for high postage rates and other hidden costs, such as VAT and other duty payable, particularly if goods are being sent from abroad.
5. See if you can get personal recommendations for companies you have not done business with before. Consider using sites checked out by Which? Web Trader. Companies displaying the logo have agreed to abide by the Which? Web Trader Code of Practice.
6. Remember, goods being sent from abroad may take some time to be delivered. Check with the trader how long this will take. If the delivery time is important to you, state a specific date that you must have them by whilst also giving them a reasonable time to comply.
7. Check what the company's policy is on returning goods that you don't like or have changed your mind about. Again, if they have come from abroad, you may be faced with a hefty postage bill to return them. Your purchase will be covered by the law of the country from which you are buying so your legal rights may not be the same as in the UK.
8. On the subject of buying from abroad, remember that if you have problems like faulty goods or non-delivery, it might be very difficult to get your complaint dealt with. Your contract will be in the country where the trader is and it obviously isn't very practical to have to take legal action abroad.
9. For that reason, only buy very expensive items from companies outside the UK or Europe if you know the company well - that way, if things do go wrong, you limit the risk.
10. Most importantly, print out the order and keep any terms and conditions that appear on the web site, just in case any disputes or problems occur later on.
Information on safe internet shopping can also be found at the following web sites: www.tradingstandards.gov.uk or www.oft.gov.uk or www.dti.gov.uk

Consumer Protection Services