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Buying well online requires some learning.
On the one hand, you must be well informed about the laws in force, and on the other hand, you must be able to collect the information we need (particularly regarding shipping and returns) on the sites that interest us.
Because an informed consumer is worth two, here is a list of six practical tips for buying better on the Internet.
Summary
1. The right reflex: read the fine print
If I had one piece of advice to give you, it would be to be curious and take a few minutes to take a look at the categories at the bottom of the pages of the sites you are considering purchasing from.
I think of the pages:
- FAQ (frequently asked questions)
- Delivery and returns
- Payment
- CGV (general conditions of sale)
The footer of the Belledonne site
If you are browsing a site that you are unfamiliar with or about which you have doubts, you should read what appears on these pages.
We will see examples of the use of this information further down in the article, but you can already remember this idea of going a little digging.
2. Understand everything about the right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal is the period during which you can return a purchased product to obtain a refund.
Here is the general principle.
When you order online:
- You have 14 days from receipt of the package to express your desire to withdraw. This period is a minimum of 14 days: it can be longer
- You must return the goods to the seller no later than 14 days following sending your withdrawal
Here are also some subtleties to keep in mind:
The right of withdrawal applies to discounted products
To put it simply, a product purchased at a discount has the same guarantees as a product purchased at full price.
Thus, the statement “sale products cannot be returned or exchanged” that we sometimes see is not legal:
We appreciate the selection at Rendez-Vous Store. However, the statement indicating that products purchased "last sale" cannot be returned is illegal.
Exceptions to the right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal does not apply to all products.
In the area that interests us, clothing, here are the exceptions:
- Underwear if it is out of its original packaging
- Second-hand clothes. The right of withdrawal does not apply in the context of a purchase on Vinted for example.
- Products “made to the consumer’s specifications or clearly personalized”. These can be tailor-made or made-to-order clothing.
At "MTO" (made to order) shoes cannot be returned for refund. It's legal
The right of withdrawal when you buy from a site outside the EU
Does the right of withdrawal apply if you buy from a site that is not based in the European Union?
In theory, yes. It applies from the moment you are a resident of the European Union:
“In all EU countries, regardless of the country in which your seller is based, you generally have a minimum of 14 days to return your purchase.”
If the site you are browsing accepts returns, so much the better.
On the other hand, if the site does not have a return policy, it is more complicated.
How to do ?
Here's my advice: contact the site before purchasing and ask them if they will accept your return given that you reside in the EU and that is the law here.
In the absence of positive feedback from them:
- Either you decide not to buy from them
- Either you buy with full knowledge of the facts, that is to say knowing that you may encounter difficulties in obtaining your reimbursement
3. Making a return: two things to know
If we go beyond the strict framework of the right of withdrawal and take a little interest in the return itself, here are two points that I think are important to clarify.
Who pays the return costs?
Return costs may be the responsibility of the buyer.
They can also be offered by the seller if he wishes. But he doesn't have to.
The seller also has the right to offer or not the return costs depending on the purchase made. For example :
- Return costs are free for non-discounted clothing
- Return costs are the responsibility of the buyer for stored clothing.
This is particularly what Center Commercial does.
Did I tell you about the importance of reading the fine print? 😉
As part of a return, must the site reimburse you for outbound shipping costs?
Yes.
“ When the right of withdrawal is exercised, the professional reimburses the consumer for all sums paid, including delivery costs. ” (Consumer Code, article L221-24 )
This is valid legislation in the European Union, see point 46 of this document :
“ In the event that the consumer withdraws from the contract, the trader should reimburse all payments received from the consumer, including those covering expenses incurred by the trader in delivering the goods to the consumer. ”
4. The trick to benefit from free returns
I've already talked about it in the second-hand clothing buying guide , but a reminder won't hurt.
These are not exactly free returns but more precisely reimbursed.
If you are returning an item purchased through Paypal:
- You advance the return costs
- You make a refund request on the site
- Paypal will refund the amount to your Paypal wallet within seven working days. You can then transfer this amount to your bank account
This service is free, up to 12 reimbursements per year, with a maximum amount of €30 per reimbursement. This limit is generous and allows returns to be made abroad and/or with acknowledgment of receipt.
So, if a merchant site offers payment by Paypal but does not offer returns, you can still make a return free of charge.
5. Know where you buy abroad
Where is this item of clothing you want to purchase?
The question may arise because if the product you are purchasing is not in the EU, you may have to pay additional costs (VAT and customs).
We talked about it recently with the case of Brexit, but the subject is similar for an order placed in any other country outside the EU.
There are several methods to find out the origin of an eshop or a brand:
- Check if we have not written a sheet on this brand where this information would appear. Do not hesitate to ask us if necessary, we can help you
- Look at the currency used by default. If you see that it is pounds (£), there is a good chance that it is a British site for example
- In the same way, we can look at the URL of the site , and more precisely at its domain name (.se for Sweden, .au for Australia, etc.)
- Look at the first country indicated on the page dedicated to delivery costs
- The country of domiciliation is often indicated in the “about” or “legal notices” pages.
I offer you an example with the Collaro brand.
Prices are in “SGD”. A quick search tells us that it is the Singapore dollar.
Next, the “ terms and conditions ” indicate that the company is registered in Singapore.
We understand that this is a Singaporean brand that presumably ships from Singapore.
If you bring a product from the brand to France, there is a chance that you will have to pay additional costs. This information appears in the “ FAQ ” of the site:
The customer is responsible for all possible import charges.
6. How to spot a fake merchant site
This point is last because Nicolò covered the subject very well in episode 11 of Sape M'en Cinq , starting at 3:05 precisely.
Here are some signs you can spot a fake site:
- All products of a brand are available at very low prices and in all sizes
- Legal notices are very poor or even non-existent
- The aesthetics are really poor
- The name of the site which has no connection with what is (supposedly) sold there
Here is the very shady site shown in the video. Don't look for it, it hasn't existed for a long time
Another tip: if you have doubts, see if the site offers payment by Paypal. If not, that's not a good sign.
Indeed, if there is a problem with an order paid by Paypal, they have the power to reimburse you, as a trusted third party. A scammer therefore has no real interest in offering this payment method.
Sources
- Public service. Distance selling: consumer's right of withdrawal
- Legifrance: Right of withdrawal applicable to contracts concluded remotely and off-premises (Articles L221-18 to L221-28)
- Consumer Europe: 14 days to change your mind
- Directive 2011/83/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of October 25, 2011 on consumer rights
