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[FYI] Electronic commerce in Europe
- To: debate@fitug.de
- Subject: [FYI] Electronic commerce in Europe
- From: "Axel H Horns" <horns@t-online.de>
- Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 19:38:03 +0200
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- Organization: PA Axel H Horns
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CORDIS RTD-NEWS/© European Communities, 2000.
Record Control Number: 14148
Date: 2000-01-12
Category: General policy
General Information:
An investigation on electronic commerce funded by the European
Commission's Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General
provides an overview of the current market situation for consumers.
It shows that there are still some teething problems to be ironed out
before the full potential of shopping via the Internet can be
realised.
Carried out by 'Stiftung-Warentest', the report can be downloaded
from the Internet at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg24/library/surveys/sur11_en.html
Information is provided on the range of goods and services available,
effecting on-line transactions, procedures for returning goods,
underlying contractual law, methods of payment and related problems,
delivery charges, import regulations, customs duties, import turnover
taxes, risks associated with buying abroad and underlying security
problems when transmitting confidential data.
The investigation was carried out with service suppliers based in
Germany. Orders were placed for products and general services such as
books, package holidays and car hire. Financial services were not
included. Transactions in other European countries were carried out
by Stiftung-Warentest's foreign partner organisations.
It is now possible to buy 'virtually everything via the Internet',
says the report. However 'customers are often confronted with a
selling system which is not yet fully developed,' and they 'have to
acquaint themselves with new ordering and payment procedures which
differ radically from company to company'. Safety issues arising from
payment by credit cards and the return of unwanted or faulty goods
were also highlighted as problem areas.
The advantages of buying over the Internet, such as convenience, 24-
hour shopping and the ability to compare prices, were also detailed
with the overall aim 'to educate the consumer and to provide market
transparency.'
Data Source Provider: European Commission, Health and Consumer
Protection Directorate-General
Document Reference: Based on the report into 'Electronic commerce in
Europe.'
Subject Index Codes: Information Processing, Information Systems