Online customers may have a seven-day cooling-off period, but new research has found that they are much less likely to return goods than those bought on the high street.
The survey, carried out by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, found that a full 60% of online shoppers are less likely to return items. A further 13% admitted they weren't sure what rights protected consumers who bought online.
The news is likely to be welcomed by online retailers, for whom returns are a threat to ecommerce profits. However, it will be interesting to see whether the proportion of returns rises as consumers become more familiar with their rights.
Consumer Minister Kevin Brennan stressed the importance of getting to know how you are protected when you shop on the internet. "We are now Europe's biggest online shoppers, so it's important we all know that most online goods can be returned with no questions asked within seven days," he said.
