Whether it’s to prepare for your end-of-year purchases or simply to take advantage of Black Friday deals, this period is conducive to increasing your purchases on online sales sites. Dijon customs and the general directorate for competition, consumption and fraud prevention (DGCCRF) invite consumers to be vigilant to avoid unpleasant surprises. Here are the main recommendations to remember.
Make sure the sites you shop on are trustworthy
Internet sales sites must display the following mentions : legal notices, identity of the seller, company name, contact details of the consumer mediator in the event of a dispute. In their absence, it is better to shop on another site. Also make sure that the payment is secure (https or after chains next to the URL)
Don’t underestimate “customs fees”
Consumers do not necessarily realize this but, in certain cases, the price displayed does not include all the costs that the buyer will ultimately have to pay. Indeed, if the product is shipped from a country outside the EU, there may be additional fees that will be charged when the package arrives. Although they are commonly called “customs fees”, these fees often include the service provider’s processing fees for customs and VAT formalities. Customs duties only concern purchases over €150 and only if the goods are not exempt.
If in doubt, you can consult the general conditions of sale to find out what the invoiced price includes. Also check the place of origin of your product. Delivery times can give you an indication of a distant origin. If you ever think that you have to pay additional costs, make an estimate by adding VAT, administrative fees (between €12 and €25 depending on the service provider) and possibly customs duties. This will allow you to make an informed purchase.
Parcels checked by customs officers upon arrival
Upon arrival, customs checks the packages. In the event of non-compliance with the regulations, customs officers who carry out parcel checks in express freight and postal customs clearance centers seize the goods. The effectiveness of targeting and customs controls has been reinforced by the evolution of IT tools linked to the regulation and tracking of parcels, as well as by the collaboration of express and postal freight sorting centers when they have a doubt about the contents of the packages.
Beware of phishing!
Fake emails or SMS supposed to come from customs services circulate regularly under the pretext of unblock a package retained by our services, pay taxes online or collect baggage. They use the graphic codes of the customs administration in all respects and, in all cases, they are asking you for money. These are phishing attempts! Customs will never contact you by text, email or telephone to request payment of a customs duty or offer to release any goods or baggage against payment. Do not click on the link or respond to these messages.
Avoid hasty purchases and don’t let yourself be trapped by dark patterns.
Before any purchase or validation of baskets for online purchases, consumers are invited to check the characteristics and terms of sale of the good or product. “Only 3 left in stock”, “valid only for 48 hours”, free trial offers leading to a paid subscription which will be difficult to undo: these are all often manipulative practices intended to influence your choice by making you believe in a false sense of urgency.
Beware of false discounts
Compare the prices of the goods and services you wish to purchase in advance. Any price reduction must refer to the lowest price charged by the professional during the previous 30 days.
Use the 14-day withdrawal period you have for many online purchases
If the product received is not what you expected, you have a withdrawal period of 14 days. Whether the product is on sale or not, the existence or absence of the right of withdrawal must be mentioned before finalizing the order (the absence of a right of withdrawal concerns, for example, the purchase of show tickets, or personalized products, etc.). When the withdrawal period exists, a form respecting a given model must be communicated to the consumer.
Beware of dropshipping sites (direct shipping)
The professional, who deals with the marketing and sale of products, completely delegates to his supplier the management of stocks and the delivery of products to the consumer. Dropshipping causes a significant number of consumer complaintsparticularly due to non-deliveries of products and the impossibility of contacting the seller, especially if the seller is abroad.
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