The holidays bring with it the season of gift giving and it is this time of the year that many people engage in shopping to purchase presents for the special people in their lives. With all the browsing, bargain hunting and shopping, some of your purchases may not have turned out right or as you expected them to be. You may have been ripped off or fooled or your online retailer may not have delivered as what was promised. These tips will help you when you encounter problems.



First and foremost, it is very important that you are aware of your rights. According to the law, both retailers and online sellers (referred to as e-tailers) are required to ship and deliver orders as advertised, within the time framed specified on the website or on the date the order was made. For companies who do not promise a specific period of time, they are to deliver and ship goods within thirty days after receiving the order. If for any reason the company is unable to deliver within the thirty day period, it is obliged to inform the customer and to allow that customer to have the choice to either still go on with the transaction despite the delay or to have the option to cancel the order and receive a refund.

Always keep track of your purchases by saving important purchase documents and printing hard copies of receipts and such details like the corresponding transactions, your emails and the retailer's responses to your emails.

If you are in any way dissatisfied with your online shopping experience, contacting the retailer would be a good course of action. You could always write to their address, contact them through their provided phone number or send an email. If by chance you haven't heard of this particular seller, you can always check with the Better Business Bureau or also with the office of the state attorney general to get information on the seller's reputation and location. If any complaints have been filed or complained against the seller, such information will be with the BBB. If you experience poor customer service or were not happy with the way your transaction was handled then you better take your business elsewhere next time and avoid doing business with that online seller again.

The Federal Trade Commission has been specifically set up to help and protect customers from companies that practice deceptive, fraudulent or unfair practices in business. You can always file a complaint with them especially if you have suspicion of any business violating the law.