THE SPIDER'S WEB OF REGULATION

If you sell computer products over the Internet, you need to be certain that your website meets a number of legal requirements. Below are some examples, citing the regulation involved:

• In most cases, you are obliged to give the purchaser a right to cancel the contract (unless they are merely downloading software) (The Distance Selling Regulations).
• Your terms of sale must be reasonable. This means that you must not take advantage of the customer’s weak bargaining position by imposing excessive rates of interest for non-payment, or refusing to refund advance payments if the customer decides to cancel a service contract. (Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations).
• You must give the customer information about their right to cancel the contract, together with your contact details, the steps which they must go through to conclude the contract and details of relevant trade organisations of which you are a member (E-Commerce Directive).
• Where personal data about customers is collected, the website must also contain a privacy policy statement (Data Protection Directive).
• You must ensure that the website is accessible to disabled users (particularly blind and partially sighted users) (Disability Discrimination Act 2005).
• If you are proposing to sell goods in other parts of the European Union you must also provide information on where the customer can take old equipment for recycling (The WEEE Directive).
• You need to be aware that VAT is (where relevant) payable on internet sales in the EU.

If you would like an audit of your website to ensure that it is legally compliant, do give us a call.