Don’t leave Mum empty handed this Mother’s Day

Families looking to spoil Mum for Mother’s Day are being warned to do some research before buying products online after Fair Trading data revealed almost four-in-five complaints about goods not arriving were from online purchases.

Consumers are being advised to beware of sellers using a business model known as ‘dropshipping’, where the online business selling the product is often a middleman, relying on another supplier’s stock levels and inventory to fulfil their orders.

Fair Trading receives thousands of complaints each year from consumers who have been charged for goods that were not delivered by third parties.

Industries receiving the most complaints for failing to supply included furniture and manchester, homewares, travel, and clothing and footwear – with these categories accounting for 40 per cent of complaints.

Consumers purchasing Mother’s Day gifts including flowers, chocolates or cards, should visit a trusted trader, read online reviews and do research to ensure a quality product is delivered.

Under Australian Consumer Law, consumers purchasing goods including flowers online come with automatic consumer guarantees the products will be of an acceptable quality, fit for purpose, and delivered within a reasonable time.

Where an Australian business does not supply goods or services to a customer, this may be a breach of Australian Consumer Law.