The Internet has changed the way we shop for birthdays, holidays and just about every one of life’s big events. Given enough time, nearly any product from any corner of the world can be shipped to your doorstep, but when you have to depend on retailers and delivery services, sometimes things don’t go as planned. So if you’re one of the unfortunate souls who have had to make a disgruntled phone call on December 23rd, the latest FTC rules should warrant a sigh of relief.
The FTC is implementing a new “Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise Trade Regulation Rule” this year which will require sellers to deliver goods to customers on time or within 30 days if a specific shipping date isn’t provided. If the seller is not able to ship the goods on the agreed upon date or within 30 days, the seller has to seek consent from the customer to delay the shipment. If the seller does not receive consent, it has to refund the customer’s purchase in full.
No questions asked.
Magazine subscriptions, plants and services don’t fall under the new rule, but just about everything else does. This might not get your orders to your front door any faster, but it guarantees that you won’t end up paying for anything that doesn’t arrive on time.
The new rules will go into effect on December 8th. For a more detailed rundown, check out the FTC’s website.
