PROBLEMS WITH the delivery of goods accounted for half of the complaints about online purchasing last year, the European Consumer Centres network has found.
The centres, based in 27 countries, received 10,386 consumer complaints concerning buying online, last year.
They intervened in 1,552 cases, 25 of which concerned web traders based in Ireland. This was the 11th highest number of complaints, but the figure was dwarfed by Germany, which accounted for almost half of all complaints.
Delivery of goods was the main problem, according to the European Online Marketplace report and the vast majority of these complaints concerned non-delivery of products. Consumers found that there was a tendency among traders to blame postal or courier services for non-delivery.
Some 25 per cent of complaints concerned problems with the product or service, while other complaints involved poor customer service.
The report found that complaints about electronic goods were particularly common. A spokeswoman for the European Consumer Centre (ECC) in Dublin said that while the selection and value available online for electronic goods was very attractive, consumers faced certain difficulties.
"Some companies appear unwilling to sell into other countries because of a seeming lack of clarity around their equipment disposal obligations under the Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) directive," she said.
Under the directive, distributors of new products must accept the old equipment that is being replaced.
"Others delay any necessary repairs or replacements for long periods. a serious consideration in a sector where product innovation is constant," the spokeswoman said.
In one case, an Irish consumer bought a camcorder online from France but quickly discovered a fault with it. He returned the product to France for repair but received it back one month later with no explanation of the repairs carried out. The problem still existed and despite numerous e-mails, he did not receive a refund.
The ECC intervened and the consumer received a full refund and the additional shipping costs he had incurred.
The online sale of tickets for sporting or entertainment events also attracted many complaints. They frequently related to the non-delivery of the ordered tickets.
The report described fraud as "a growing issue", with several different types of fraud reported. They include fake web traders who frequently sell electronic equipment, and various scams involving the buying and selling of cars.
In one case, a web shop was offering PlayStation 3 consoles for less than the official price. It posted a false company history on Wikipedia to give their company credibility but it emerged that the company was fraudulent and had moved from the Netherlands in one day.
The European Consumer Centre Ireland, which offers advice to online shoppers at www.eccireland.ie, has called for a strengthening of legislation and enforcement practices.
