eCommerce market is growing. Naturally, they also raise claims. Do we trust online shopping? Do we know our rights?
The National Commission on Competition and Markets (CNMC) recently published data on the evolution of electronic commerce in the first quarter of 2015. The figures are very promising, since online sales in Spain grew 24.5 %, reaching in the first three months of the year a turnover of 4,455.7 million euros. During this period about 68 million transactions, 14.9% more than in the same quarter last year were made.
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| eCommerce: more business, more rights and more confidence |
As usual, the sector of travel agencies and tour operators was the one who reported the highest revenues, 15.7% of total turnover. After this sector we find air transport (8.6% of the total), direct marketing (5.4%) and clothing stores (5.4%).
Spanish eCommerce portals accounted for 57.2% of total turnover. That fee, 18.2% comes from national retail purchases from abroad. Doing the opposite direction, purchases from foreign websites Spain accounted for 42.8% of total turnover. The balance is reversed when you consider the number of transactions, because 55.7% occurred in online stores outside Spain 44.3% of purchases were recorded in Spanish portals.
If we focus on
shopping in Spain, that is, those made from our country in national ecommerce, revenue grew 20% year over year, 1736.9 million. 31.9% of turnover came from the tourism sector, followed distantly by buying tickets to sporting, artistic and recreational shows (6.7%), direct marketing (5%) and public administration, taxation and security social (4.6%).
All these data show evidence: eCommerce has finally implemented in our country and its growth is unstoppable. Not surprisingly, in the past five years, the turnover recorded an average growth of 21.7%. Moreover, the volume of business has not stopped growing and one of the last nine quarters, with average increase of 20.7%.
Confidence grows
Increasing consumer confidence has been essential to this booming eCommerce. According to the 'I Study Spanish confidence in the Online Shopping', developed by Confidence Online and Showroomprive, 96% of respondents like or trust in e-commerce more now than five years ago. And it is only possible to achieve that trust if things are done right. Thus, the report notes that 53.1% of respondents indicated that there has never been an issue to purchase a product online.
The aspects that provide greater confidence Spanish consumers when buying online are the presence of seals or certificates of quality and confidence in the online web (37.4%) Store, ease of contact with the store ( 22.8%), the store brand (17.7%), the clarity of the seller's identity (16.4%) and the design of the web (5.5%).
It also builds trust the source of e-commerce. Thus, 61.7% of respondents said that European online stores offer greater confidence than those of EU origin. In line with this statement, CNMC data reveal that 89.9% of the volume of purchases from Spain to the outside shape in the European Union, while the United States accounted for 4.1%.
As for customer service methods that generate greater confidence, highlight the phone (51%), email (29%) and online chat service in the store (14%).
Consumer rights
Despite the growth in eCommerce and increasing consumer confidence online, the fact is that Spaniards still do not know well our rights. The study of Confianza Online and Showroomprive states that 45.9% of respondents have never heard of the European regulation on rights for online shoppers, while 50.7% have heard of it but do not know what those rights are online shoppers.
It remembers that last year entered into force in the European Union Directive on consumer rights, some relevant news. Perhaps the most important is the extension of the deadline for review of the digital purchases from seven to fourteen days and the improvement in the rights of refund in case of cancellation.
"Give a guarantee plus interest and online shopping versus buying in traditional stores. In a conventional store, you can not return the product if you do not like, unless trade policy store, which does not happen in many larger establishments, "explains Ruben Sanchez, spokesman for the association of consumers FACUA. "While the industry may think that you can hurt that imposition, having to accept returns for two weeks, but the truth is that it is very positive that trust online shopping," he says.
In addition, the Directive introduces more transparency on prices, marks the end of the surcharges unjustified use of credit cards and hotlines and prohibits predialling of boxes on the forms of purchase.
Monitor compliance with the law
The new rules of online consumer protection is an improvement, but Sanchez regrets the lack of a more rigorous monitoring of its compliance by the Administration. "The deficit we have in the regional authorities consumer is really outrageous. No means to meet all claims that are made, which are growing in shopping online. More and more online sales market, so it is logical that grow proportionally claims "he says.
Facua spokesman indicates that one of the most frequent irregularity is that the online trade refuses to accept the return or repair the product under warranty. "Sometimes they refuse to assume the guarantee that the product for two years after purchase or 'invented' that has 'loaded' the consumer, before picking it up without even seeing it."
Sanchez says that some companies require consumers to take charge of the shipping by courier to the defective product is repaired. It also notes that "there are too many cases where eCommerce is 'forget' to attach the document that informs the right to cancel the contract within 14 days".
"The lack of control over regional administrations consumption, the absence of bodies and inspectors have sufficient means to meet all consumer complaints within a reasonable time and the lack of sanctions for abuse or fraud complaint important causes of vulnerability harms consumers and serious business, "says spokesman Facua. "Consumers are suspicious if they see that there are many businesses that commit irregularities and that the administration does not act. That causes the online shops that meet market lose those customers who do not trust, "he adds.
Right to compensation
Sanchez also advocates the introduction of a "right to compensation for the user who receives a product in poor condition or fails to satisfy the conditions that had announced it." "If I buy clothes in eCommerce, having made the payment and wait for what happens if you damage at source? Will I return and reimburse me the money, period, despite having caused injury? Should compensate me, "he says.
And it specifies that "there should be a framework for compensation for those who suffer a major mistake and that causes injury. We must return to place an order, wait for, may need to search the product on another site and find more expensive, etc. For example, if I receive a faulty product that was a gift for my daughter, I can not give it and give the illusion of his birthday is lost. It is a moral prejudice that the legislation should provide a framework for compensation. And it is even more serious if we buy the product does not meet the characteristics indicated in advertising or is not like appearing in the ad. He entitled to return, but should indemnify deceive, making money out of our bank account for a few days and we have to search the product on the other side. "
