Distance Selling Regulations

[[TW]Fox]

The express postage isn't purchased/supplied seperately, its part of the same contract, so I'd imagine that yes you must refund it under the terms of the DSR.

Yes, they are wide open to abuse and IMHO excessively consumer-biased.

 

[Vanquish-Storm]

The express postage isn't purchased/supplied seperately, its part of the same contract, so I'd imagine that yes you must refund it under the terms of the DSR.

Yes, they are wide open to abuse and IMHO excessively consumer-biased.

Can postage be purchased/supplied separately? By splitting up an invoice to goods and services what stops it from being a separate contract if stated in the terms and conditions.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Don't expect consumers to be impressed with blatant attempts to get around the DSR like attempting to make the postage a seperate transaction!

I would imagine the number of customers who will actually use the act will be very small and more than made up for by the number of additional sales you'll make to people who feel the act gives them the confidence to buy online but who will likely NOT return the product.

 

[Vanquish-Storm]

Don't expect consumers to be impressed with blatant attempts to get around the DSR like attempting to make the postage a seperate transaction!

I would imagine the number of customers who will actually use the act will be very small and more than made up for by the number of additional sales you'll make to people who feel the act gives them the confidence to buy online but who will likely return the product.

I completely understand what your saying and agree but its a bit funny that as a business using the DSR for your own good would look bad on your with customers who abuse it all the time!

What about the whole contact us regarding a return then? Do customers have to state they are returning under the DSR? We get lots (i mean LOTS!) of returns as "no longer needed" do they still get a full refund?

Also what would you do if an item was returned and is not again sell-able at full price? (ie damaged box, missing instructions) DSR does not cover the seller for this does it?

(Just a note: ATM we do actually do a full refund for cost paid, sometimes we even ask the customer to keep the item anyway as some items cost too much to get sent back)

 

[[TW]Fox]

I completely understand what your saying and agree but its a bit funny that as a business using the DSR for your own good would look bad on your with customers who abuse it all the time!

But thats just business - you are in it to make a profit. It's the rules of the game sadly. Most customers, luckily, won't abuse it. The number of genuine abusers will be very very small. And, as I said, largely made up for by the extra sales you'll get. I can think of loads of stuff I've bought online knowing that it if was rubbish I could just get rid of it - but I never did, I kept the item and the retailer got the sale.

What about the whole contact us regarding a return then? Do customers have to state they are returning under the DSR? We get lots (i mean LOTS!) of returns as "no longer needed" do they still get a full refund?

Yes, they do - they don't need to specifically mention the legisation which enshrines the rights they have in order to benefit from these rights.

Also what would you do if an item was returned and is not again sell-able at full price? (ie damaged box, missing instructions) DSR does not cover the seller for this does it?

You have to carry the cost of the packaging, not sure about the instructions. This is the bit of the DSR I disagree with the most. I think its wholly unacceptable for a consumer to be legally obligated to return an item without even including the box. You wont get very far in a shop if you trash the box so really its giving the consumer rights ABOVE those they'd get in a shop which IMHO is unfair.

But unfair it might be, it remains the law, sadly.

 

[Vanquish-Storm]

Thanks Fox!

And Thanks to everyone else who gave advice!