The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Richard Alston, and the Minister for Financial Services & Regulation, Mr Joe Hockey, today urged Australians to check out the latest consumer advice before buying online this Christmas.
Australian web retailers expect a big increase in shoppers this holiday season including many first time e-shoppers. With Australian consumers expected to spend up to $1.1 billion this year online, there is a pressing need for clear and accurate consumer information about online shopping.
Consumers are encouraged to check out the Governments Shopping Online: Facts for Consumers series of eight fact sheets, which give the Australian public direct answers to a number of the most vexing questions related to shopping on the internet, including:
- the risks and benefits of shopping online;
- what to look for in a website;
- credit card safety on the internet;
- paying sales tax and duty;
- privacy concerns;
- what to do, and where to turn if things go wrong;
- information on internet banking; and
- seals of assurance on websites
All eight fact sheets will help ensure that during the Christmas shopping season consumers are educated about their rights and what to look for on internet sites. The fact sheets are available on the internet at www.dcita.gov.au/shoponline
The Ministers officially released the eighth fact sheet today. It examines seals of assurance that web retailers often display. Seals of assurance are used to either indicate membership in an organisation or compliance with a set of rules or business practices. An increasing number of websites are displaying seals of assurance to certify their compliance with consumer protection and privacy principles.
The aim of the seal of approval is to instil confidence in the consumer by enhancing the reputation of businesses bearing the seal as a good trader. The latest fact sheet highlights that while many seals of assurance exist, consumers need to investigate the business awarding the seal to determine how standards of business behaviour are examined and enforced.
Media contacts: Terry OConnor, Senator Alstons office 02 6277 7480
Matthew Abbott, Mr Hockeys office 02 6277 7230, 0413 076213
Website:
www.richardalston.dcita.gov.au
www.minfsr.treasury.gov.au