A check consisting of 156 popular websites suggested that 62 of them may not be fully complying with consumer protection law.
The oft said that they found compulsory charges and unreasonable restrictions on refund without prior warning at the online checkout. The retailers that have these problems have been asked to change before Christmas.
This year oft have checked the 100 most used online retailers in the UK along with the most popular clothing sites. Oft found a most common problem, the retailers was wrongly telling their customers that if they were to return an item, then it must be in their original packaging or in their original condition.
The Oft has said that this could be in breach of the buyer’s right to inspect or assess a product.
Almost two-thirds of all the retailers that were checked breached the e-commerce regulations; this was because they failed to provide an email contact address, as opposed to a web contact.
60% of the site checked, notified buyers that would be compulsory charges which would include delivery in addition to the upfront price. It was shown that 24% of these sites then added even more charges which were unexpected. For example this included card chargers booking and luggage fees.
Of the 60% of sites that notified buyers there would be compulsory charges, such as delivery, in addition to the up-front price, 24% of those then added extra, unexpected, charges as well.
The Oft’s survey did reveal that most of the online retail websites did comply with their other obligations under the distance selling regulations.
Consumers shopping online, by phone or mail order, are covered by these regulations in addition to their regular rights, which ensure that all goods bought are fit for purpose, for example.
The distance sales rules state that goods should be delivered within 30 days and those shoppers should be given a 7-day cooling-off period in which they can cancel an order and get a full refund. This period is longer for financial products.
"The OFT recognises that most businesses want to play fair with their customers and to comply with the law," said Cavendish Elithorn, a senior director at the OFT.
"We encourage all online retailers to check their websites so customers can be confident their rights are being respected when they shop online."
It has now written to all of those who may be misleading consumers. Oft has said that if none of these retailers change their site to comply with the law. Then they will be taken to court and will face fines. Oft have said that when they have asked retailers to change their website in the past, then most of the retailers have done the changes without it going too far
Online shopping has boomed in the past decade and the OFT has regularly warned retailers to make sure they are not ignoring their legal obligations.