Australian Internet businesses have failed to make the grade when it comes to online consumer rights, according to a recent study.
Results of the "sweep" of 229 Australian sites carried out by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) have just been published.
The sting found that overall, e-tailers were not meeting consumer privacy policies.
The regulator was concerned about consumer privacy by three sites in particular, one which nullifies privacy policies, another which claims a cure for cancer and a site assuming an affiliation with the ACCC. The sites' details were withheld.
The "sweep" was part of a wider global study, in which more than 3000 sites were examined for disclosure of physical addresses, email or telephone contact details, itemised costs, restrictions on purchases, refund, warranty and pirvacy.
The ACCC claims Australian e-tailers scored well on the disclosure of business addresses and contact details on Web sites however, only three out of every 10 sites allowed for returns, exchanges and refunds and even fewer disclosed privacy policies.
"This must be rectified," the ACCC said.
"Australian e-tailers must remember that the consumer protection laws apply to them, just as much as they do to main-street stores and mail-order companies."
