How to... Return Stuff You Bought Online

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Been shopping online? Realised what you bought is not what you want? Phil Wand could get you your money back

According to a recent report, British shoppers are spending record amounts online, with monthly sales figures surging past the £4billion mark - the equivalent of five new PCs every second.

It's an astonishing amount of money, especially when you consider that opening a browser instead of walking into a shop means you buy everything 'sight unseen'. Could what you've just paid for be a big mistake? What if that video card you bought turns out too noisy, or the external drive is too slow? And, bugger it, didn't you just buy DDR3 when your motherboard needs DDR2?

Luckily, legislation was put in place a few years ago to protect consumers who make their purchases online. Many of you will have heard of the Distance Selling Regulations, but few of you understand exactly what's involved. Read on to find out all you need to know.

1) Know your rights
When you buy stuff online, or indeed whenever where you pay for any goods without seeing them beforehand, you're given an unconditional right to return them. Unlike buying from a shop, buying over the internet means you don't have the chance to examine items before making a decision to purchase them, and so the law affords you a chance to decide whether the decision you made was the right one.

Put simply, if you decide to reject the goods, you have the right to your money back. Retailers cannot write terms and conditions which deny you this right, nor can they impose 'restocking fees' or any other spurious charges.

2) Act promptly
If you've bought something you want to send back, act quickly. You have just seven working days in which to write to the retailer by fax, post or email, explaining that you wish to return the goods you paid for and receive a refund under the Distance Selling Regulations. You do not need to provide a reason. Many retailers ask that you request a returns merchandise authorisation (RMA) number, and in which case you should make use of their returns procedure instead.

Note that you can also cancel items not yet delivered, and in which case you are entitled to a full refund of the delivery charges as well as the cost of the goods.

3) Put everything back
The law speaks of allowing consumers to take 'reasonable care' of items cancelled under the DSRs, meaning you're within your rights to rip open packaging and use your new purchase as much as you like.

But once you've contacted the retailer and cancelled your contract, put everything back in the box and seal it up. While the law does not demand you to do this, you have a legal duty to retain and look after what you bought - meaning that if you keep using the item, you open a number of avenues for the retailer to seek recompense in the event you break it.

4) Returning the goods
As odd as it sounds, the DSRs do not require you to return the goods. You have a duty to look after your purchase while it remains in your possession, but it's actually up to the retailer to state how and when they want you to return cancelled items.

It may be that they arrange the collection from you, but it's more likely you'll have to send the item yourself. In which case, you should use a 'guaranteed' Royal Mail service that not only insures the goods in transit, but also provides
proof of delivery. In addition, you should make sure that the goods are properly protected while in transit or you risk the retailer imposing a penalty.

5) What happens next?
The DSRs mandate that the retailer in question refunds you within 30 days of cancellation. Normally you'll get your money back after you've returned the goods, but if you still have them in your possession (eg. you're waiting for the retailer to collect) you're still entitled to a refund.

If you don't get your money back in full, or you've been hit with a 'restocking fee' or other charges, contact the retailer and explain the situation. At the same time, alert your credit card merchant - they should be able to help you reclaim what's rightly yours.