When an online retailer doesn't deliver, where do you turn?
A phone call to the customer service department often leads you through a maze
of menu options. Fortunately, there are sites dedicated to
resolving your dispute.
Consumer Advocates
Planet Feedback rewards the
companies that get it right and chastises those that don't. Register
a compliment, complaint, suggestion or question and the site acts as
your advocate.
Several organizations are ready to help you resolve problems. The
Direct
Marketing Association Consumer Line acts as an
intermediary between consumers and direct marketing companies. Their
site offers an address for complaints.
Since 1963,
Call For Action has used volunteer
professionals to assist consumers who have encountered problems with
businesses, government agencies and other organizations. Their
services are free and confidential, and you can use the site to
find the office nearest you.
Online forms make filing a complaint easier. At the
Better Business Bureau, you
can learn what they are doing about Internet
fraud and link
to a form. At the
National Fraud Information Center,
you can download a brochure on safe
online shopping, report fraud, or fill out their
Online Incident Report Form.
The Federal Trade Commission has an online complaint form,
as well as many informational pamphlets on
e-Commerce and the Internet. "Going Shopping? Go Global! A
Guide for E-Consumers Alert" and " Shop Safely Online" are especially helpful.
Although the FTC cannot resolve individual problems, it can act against a company when a
pattern emerges.
Witholding Payment
Paying by credit card offers some level of protection when shopping
online. Most major credit card companies allow the consumer to
withhold payment while a complaint is being resolved. Read about what
MasterCard is doing to combat Internet fraud and what you can do to protect
yourself at Safe Internet Shopping.
For additional help, visit How to Protect Yourself: Shopping
On The Internet.
--- J. Walker
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