Don’t leave Mum empty handed this Mother’s Day
Families looking to spoil Mum for Mother’s Day are being warned to do some research before buying products online after NSW Fair Trading data revealed almost four-in-five complaints about goods not arriving were from online purchases.
Consumers are being advised to beware of sellers using a business model known as ‘dropshipping’, where the online business selling the product is often a middleman, relying on another supplier’s stock levels and inventory to fulfill their orders.
NSW Fair Trading receives hundreds of complaints each year from consumers who have been charged for goods that were not delivered by third parties.
From 2022-2024, NSW Fair Trading received more than 13,000 complaints from consumers in relation to non-supply or partial supply of products, with 3,000 complaints in 2022, 5,500 complaints in 2023 and 4,300 in 2024.
Industries receiving the most complaints for failing to supply included furniture and manchester, homewares, travel, and clothing and footwear – with these categories accounting for 40 per cent of complaints.
NSW Fair Trading has responded to consumer concerns and carried out 54 investigations in 2023 and 2024 resulting in 36 penalty notices worth more than $177,000.
Consumers purchasing Mother’s Day gifts including flowers, chocolates or cards, should visit a trusted trader, read online reviews and do research to ensure a quality product is delivered.
Under Australian Consumer Law, consumers purchasing goods including flowers online come with automatic consumer guarantees the products will be of an acceptable quality, fit for purpose, and delivered within a reasonable time.
Where an Australian business does not supply goods or services to a customer, this may be a breach of Australian Consumer Law.
The NSW Fair Trading Complaints Register lists all businesses subject to 10 or more complaints in a calendar month.
The Register can be found here: www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/help-centre/online-tools/complaints-register.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong:
“Choosing the perfect gift for Mother’s Day can be tricky enough without the complication of the present not arriving on time or at all.
“So if you’re buying a present for Mother’s Day this year, check details on the site like the location of the stock and the actual delivery date is within your required timeframe.
“Also check the seller’s reputation using the feedback ratings to ensure there are no complaints about goods not being supplied.”