5. Online Shopping

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Online Shopping. Source: The European Marketplace Consumer Complaints 2005, European Consumer Centre Network

Irish consumers complain more about bad online shopping experiences than the majority of our European neighbours. And with good cause.

The graphs for online shopping may point upwards but there’s a corresponding growth in consumer angst about non-delivery or delayed delivery of goods, faulty products and payment problems.

In 2005, Ireland ranked third after Sweden and France in the number of online cases being logged by the European Consumer Centre Network.

This represents two-thirds more than the UK – a marked gap given the 14 : 1 ratio of our respective populations.

Where are the offending online businesses located? Germany was tops accounting for 607 cases, followed by the UK (282). Ireland ranked 9th, with 45 cases.

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