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The European Consumer Centre (ECC) advises that if you are planning to buy your Christmas presents from a foreign on-line store you should act now. If you place your order as late as at the beginning of December, your presents may not make it in time for Christmas.

Throughout the past couple decades the European Consumer Centre has received messages from disappointed consumers whose Christmas has been ruined due to delayed arrival of presents. Presents that have been ordered from foreign on-line stores have sometimes not arrived until January.

“Christmas is an especially busy time for on-line stores. Companies are not always able to keep to the delivery times stated on their website. If you intend to buy presents from foreign on-line stores, place your order during November,” advises ECC Director Leena Lindström.

Be sure to note the following points when shopping at on-line stores:

• Make sure that the total price stated for the product or service includes taxes as well as possible shipping fees and additional costs.
• Read the agreement’s terms and conditions carefully.
• Read through the terms for the product warranty and remember to save the warranty certificate.
• Check that the vendor lists their address and other contact information on their website and that these are correct.
• Print out the order confirmation, terms and conditions and any correspondence.
• Pay for any purchases with your credit card. In this case, you may ask for a refund via your credit card provider if the vendor does not deliver the purchased product.
• Never pay for any on-line store purchases through Western Union or Money Gram.

Further information on your statutory right of cancellation with regard to distance sales