Buying on the web is so easy -
why do you need this guide?

Most website shopping is trouble-free. But it makes sense to be wary of possible risks – especially when buying electrical goods.

You may think you’ve got a bargain but the product could be a cheap copy, of poor quality, or made to look like a well-known brand. Or it may be second-hand, with damage that can make it unsafe. Such electrical products have the potential to harm you, your family and your home.

This guide has been produced by the Electrical Safety Council to inform you about the most common problems with buying electrical products online. Our advice will help keep you and your family safe and make you aware of your rights as a buyer.

One of the downsides of internet shopping is that you can’t see the product you are buying – you have to rely on website photos and descriptions. But if you follow our top ten tips, you’ll protect yourself and your purse when buying electrical goods over the internet.

Important!
Don’t rely on a CE mark alone as a guarantee of declaration by the manufacturer that the product meets all the requirements of European law and is safe to use.

Top Ten Tips

• Check the voltage of products is 230V, 50Hz - the UK’s usual domestic voltage and fitted with a three-pin UK plug or charger.
• Look on the site for the seller’s contact details. Make sure there is a full, ‘real’ address, not just a PO Box number. Not all websites with a .co.uk address are based in the UK.
• Avoid buying second-hand products, especially ones where the guarantee or warranty has run out. You won’t know who has owned it or what condition it is in.
  
• Look for websites that allow you to pay safely – these will have a padlock at the bottom on the screen when you are filling in payment details.
• Do a price check and, if you have time, visit the high street too. Ask yourself – if it’s so cheap, is it safe?
• Use online review websites to find out what people are saying about products and sellers.
• Read the product guarantees, the seller’s terms and conditions, returns policy and privacy statement.
• Check the site is a member of an online retail accrediting body, such as ISIS, which means they have signed up to certain service standards.
• If you use your credit card to spend £100 or more on an item, you can hold both the trader and the credit card liable if something goes wrong with the sale.
• Keep records
  of whatever you order.

Don't fall for fake

Increasingly, fake products are sold online, often at ‘unbelievable’ prices. If in doubt, e-mail the seller with questions and ask for more pictures of the product, so you can do a visual check.

Tell-tale signs it’s not the real thing - before you buy, check:

• Is the item much cheaper than you expected? (Although clever counterfeiters can also copy the price!)
• Do the website photos of product and packaging look genuine?
• Does the site offer information about user instructions and guarantees?
• Are the manufacturer’s contact details, and/or the product’s country of origin, provided on the site?

Second-hand goods

If you must buy second-hand electrical products, try to buy from a business seller you know and trust. You still have legal protection, as anyone selling second-hand electrical goods must ensure that the product meets legal safety requirements and is correctly labelled – but there are differences from ‘buying new’.

Important!
Private sellers in online auctions only have to accurately describe what they are selling - they can refuse responsibility for the quality of their goods.

Steer clear of spam…

Spam emails often try to lure shoppers to certain websites. If you order from one of these sites, the chances are you'll get fake goods - if you get anything at all.

Problem products

Recall information from the official EU recall system, which lists unsafe products in Europe, shows the electrical goods most often reported as faulty or dangerous are:

• Electrical chargers
• Adaptors, including those used for travel
• Cable extension and products leads
• Hairdryers, tongs and clippers
• Small kitchen appliances like kettles, toaster and irons

“The hair straighteners I bought online looked like the real thing and at the price they were offered, I thought I was getting a bargain. But they were fake and kept overheating. I was lucky. I only burnt a bit of my hair. I dread to think what could have happened if one of the kids had used them ”. J.D. Lancs

Important!
If you suspect a product is dangerous to use, or if it is a fake copy of a well-known brand, it is illegal. Contact your local tradingstandards office or Consumer Direct straight away.
If you have any suspicions about the product’s safety, or if you think it’s fake, do not use it. Unsafe electrical products can cause fire, electric shock, burns and other injuries.

What to do when...

The product arrives, but something seems wrong

• Check the packaging and delivery notes look genuine. Does it contain instructions and a guarantee?
• Check for any damage and listen for any loose fittings.
• Check the item has a UK plug. Make sure it is in good condition with the right size pins and properly attached to the cord.

STOP using the product immediately, turn it off and unplug it from the socket if any of the following occurs:

• It isn’t working properly, or won’t work all the time.
• It speeds up or down without warning.
• The outer casing seems too hot to the touch.
• You can see smoke coming from it, or smell burning.

“My son had broken the charger for his games console, so I went on-line to get a cheap replacement. All was well until he left the machine on during dinner. We heard an explosion and found the charger in flames! I’m just grateful the house didn’t go up in smoke and my son wasn’t electrocuted.” M.A. Leeds

Returning faulty items

If you believe an item is faulty, you should first contact the seller. Put your complaint in writing and keep copies of any correspondence.
If you feel their response is unsatisfactory, there are a number of things you can do.

• If you are making a claim for a refund, repair or replacement, you can take advice from Consumer Direct.
• Some auction websites or third party bodies (e.g. PayPal, NoChex etc) can help – see their terms and conditions.
• Ask for help from your local Citizens Advice Bureau, or contact your local council and ask to speak to their trading standards
  department.
• If the product cost more than £100 and you paid by credit card, contact the credit card company. They may refund you and take up your complaint with the seller.
• Contact the manufacturer directly and speak to their customer services team – but remember, you will still need to go through the seller for a refund.
• If the seller is a member of a trade association, or an online accreditation body such as ISIS, you can ask them to look into your complaint.
• A last resort is to take the seller to court, which may cost you money. If you win, your court costs will be paid. If you lose, you pay the seller’s legal bill as well as your own.

Know your rights

Buying from UK companies

Online buyers have protection in law against unfair trading through the Sale of Goods Act 1979 and the Distance Selling Regulations 2000.

Key points are:

• The seller must provide clear and accurate information about the goods or services they are selling.
• The seller must provide written confirmation of the sale.
• Goods must arrive within 30 days, unless otherwise agreed.
• You have a ‘cooling off’ period of seven days – which starts the day after you receive your goods - during which you can cancel your order.
• If an item arrives faulty or broken, you have the right to a repair, replacement or full refund. The seller should pay the cost of returning the item.
• If you buy a second-hand product from a business you are still legally protected – they must ensure goods meet legal safety standards and are correctly labelled. But because of wear and tear the law does not hold the trader to the same standard of quality as those selling a new product. Private sellers online, however, can refuse responsibility for the quality of their goods.

Important!
One in 16 online companies which have a UK domain name - such as bestelectrics.co.uk – are not based in the UK.

Buying from companies outside the UK

If you buy an electrical product from a company based inside the EU, European law will protect you but it may take time to sort out your complaint. Contact the UK European Consumer Centre at www.ukecc.net for more details, or contact Consumer Direct.
If you buy from a company outside the EU and you have a problem, it is unlikely that UK or EU law can protect you.

Also:

• Electrical goods may not meet EU safety and quality standards.
• The product you get may work on a different voltage rating from that in the UK.
• As well as delivery charges you will have to pay Customs and Excise duties before the goods are delivered to your home.
• If you need to return a product, you will probably have to pay the postage. You will also need to complete a Customs and Excise form to get a refunded on duty taxes.

More help and useful organisations

Your Rights and the Law

Consumer Direct
For all consumer queries 0845 04 05 06
www.consumerdirect.gov.uk

Citizens Advice

www.citizensadvice.org.uk (England and Wales)
www.citizensadvice.co.uk (Northern Ireland)
www.cas.org.uk (Scotland)

Trading Standards

You find your local Trading Standards service by visiting
www.tradingstandards.gov.uk or by contacting your local council

Online shopping using EU websites

UK European Consumer Centre
www.ukecc.net 08456 04 05 03

Online shopping worldwide

Econsumer.gov
Complaints about overseas internet businesses can be registered on this database – but read carefully how they might use your details. www.econsumer.gov

Website Checks

Nominet
Register of all .uk domain names
www.nominet.org.uk

Internet Shopping is Safe (ISIS)
http://isisaccreditation.imrg.org/

Shop Safe
www.shopsafe.co.uk

Seller and product reviews

www.reviewcentre.com
www.dooyoo.co.uk
www.ciao.co.uk

Product recall notices

www.ukrecallnotice.co.uk
www.esc.org.uk

About The Electrical Safety Council

We are the Electrical Safety Council

– an independent charity committed to reducing deaths and injuries from electricity. We work to make the manufacture, sale and use of electrical products safer for everyone. The UK electrical industry, and local and central government, support our work.

We hope you find this short guide useful and, if you would like more information on electrical safety, please visit our website or call our helpline for details.

Have you bought a fake or dangerous product over the internet and want to help others avoid problems online ? Tell us your story and, if we use it, we’ll pay you! E-mail productsafety@esc.org.uk for more information.

The Electrical Safety Council
Unit 1.10, Canterbury Court, Kennington Park
Business Centre, 1 - 3 Brixton Road, London SW9 6DE
www.esc.org.uk
email: enquiries@esc.org.uk
Helpline: 0870 040 0561