New tools launched to help online businesses improve service to people living in remote areas.
By Kyla Brand, Office of Fair Trading director
Are online businesses providing a good enough service to remote areas? A recent Office of Fair Trading (OFT) report suggests that many of the half a million or so people who live in remote areas in the UK feel they don’t get a good service from online businesses.
Shopping online means people living in remote areas can access a wider range of suppliers but the delivery terms and costs are making it difficult for them to get the best value.
New online resources have been launched to help internet businesses when dealing with customers in remote areas are available on the OFT’s Distance Selling hub.
Consumers were reporting that delivery costs were presented late in the buying process, they were being misled by sites that promised ‘free UK delivery’ but imposed shipping charges, or were being let down by suppliers refusing to deliver to remote locations.
“It is quite often difficult to find out from the companies which courier they use and even then the tracking of packages ends in Aberdeen.” Shetland Isles Resident
“When deliveries cannot be made and collection is required from a courier’s depot they can often be 20-30 miles away from the rural delivery location.
“Many couriers only hold goods for three days or so and it may not be possible for the recipient to get to the premises in this time scale.” Norfolk Resident
Improving customers’ experience and therefore increasing their likelihood to purchase is only one positive to be gained from learning more about the law, retailers can also improve their reputation and long term customer relations whilst saving themselves time and money by improving efficiency.
With the Christmas peak shopping season approaching it makes sense for retailers to train staff and implement changes to procedures beforehand.
The tools on the Distance Selling hub include top tips on what businesses should consider when dealing with customers who live in remote areas:
• display delivery charges clearly and early-on in the purchasing process
• make sure any additional charges imposed on delivery to remote locations are justified and displayed clearly and early-on in the purchasing process
• check that when the term ‘Free UK Delivery’ is used, it is not misleading if, for example, it doesn’t include remote locations
• recognise that it may take longer to deliver to remote locations and explain this clearly and early-on in the purchasing process
• don’t refuse to deliver to remote locations unless this can be justified by objective criteria.
• allow customers to return faulty goods for free, and to return unwanted goods that fall within the statutory 7-day cooling off period for free unless customers have been notified in writing that charges would apply
The updated resources are just one part of a wider set tools and materials on the hub that support businesses who sell at a distance.
We would encourage all businesses selling online to not only make use of these free online materials but to also register on the Distance Selling Hub. By registering you will receive updates on legislation and new materials straight to your inbox.
For more information visit www.oft.gov.uk/distanceselling
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