More than half of all Web sites selling electronic goods may be breaking the law by concealing charges, misleading consumers or failing to provide an address to which products can be returned, according to a European Union study to be published Wednesday.
The survey, conducted by authorities in 28 European countries, examined 369 sites selling digital cameras, mobile phones, music players, DVDs, computer equipment and games consoles.
Of those, 55 percent showed irregularities which national consumer watchdogs said they intended to follow up.
The investigation, which was coordinated by the European Commission, was prompted by concerns that the growth of online commerce was being held back by consumers worried about what the rules are when buying online.
During the economic downturn, however, many shoppers appear to be turning to the Internet to compare prices in an effort to get the best deal.
The commission says that 150 million E.U. citizens — about a third of the bloc’s population — have shopped online. The value of online consumer electronic sales was EUR 6.8 billion, or $9.9 billion, in 2007.
But worries that shady practices by retailers could be impeding growth appear to be borne out by the findings.
The most common deficiency, present in two-thirds of the problem Web sites, was the failure to provide accurate information about a buyer’s legal right to return faulty products for refund or repairs for two years.
Information on extra delivery charges was either missing or difficult to find in 45 percent of the Web sites that gave cause for concern. And a third gave incomplete contact details for retailers, making it difficult to return goods or contact the seller in the event of a problem.
National authorities said they will contact problematic Web sites. The commission said that failure to bring sites into line could prompt legal action leading to fines or the…