Internet sellers in Perth and Kinross have performed well in checks carried out by Trading Standards officers.
An online sweep investigated the range of goods being offered for sale on eBay to check whether customers can buy with confidence.
A total of 84 online sellers, all operating as businesses, were found selling a wide variety of items. Most were found to be complying with Trading Standards legislation and no major compliance issues were found.
Nonetheless, community safety convener Councillor Willie Robertson said Trading Standards would continue to keep an eye on local internet traders.
“A small number of local traders on eBay were found to be limiting or withdrawing consumers’ rights regarding their right to cancel an order. These traders have been advised by our officers.”
The rise of the internet as a marketplace has seen many entrepreneurs moving into e-commerce. So significant is the sector that Perth and Kinross Council’s Trading Standards Service now employs an officer whose full-time role is to monitor e-commerce.
That has shone a light on a wealth of businesses being operated from within Perth and Kinross. Most have been found to be operating within normal business regulations, but others have used the internet to avoid applying for correct licences, such as off-sales licences for alcohol, or to flout consumer rights.