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Public Commentary Dear Editor: With more and more New Yorkers making purchases online, they need assurances that the merchandise they buy arrives at their door and in a reasonable amount of time. In 2006, however, the New York State Attorney General's Internet Bureau reported it had received more than one thousand consumer complaints that goods ordered online were not delivered and other improper conduct. I am pleased to announce a new state law that I sponsored that will provide better protection for New Yorkers who buy merchandise online and have it shipped. The new law, enacted this week, extends consumer protections already in place for purchases made through the mail and telephone to purchases that consumers make on the Internet. Specifically, the law prohibits online businesses from advertising or accepting orders for merchandise which cannot be reasonably expected to be shipped within 30 days. If the company fails to ship within 30 days, the firm must provide buyers with an opportunity to cancel the order and receive a refund or substitute merchandise. Online companies must also clearly display their legal name and the terms and conditions of refunds in their advertising, as well as maintain records of complaints they receive from consumers. The law also gives online consumers the power of the state Attorney General to sue for damages on their behalf if goods that are purchased are not delivered. Consumers should now be able to shop online with confidence that the goods they purchase will arrive at their door, but if the merchandise fails to arrive they have recourse and are protected under the law.
Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., State Senator Chairman, Consumer Protection Committee
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