In our increasingly virtual world, manufacturers and companies who want to remain competitive need to have a website, not only for the promotion of their products, but also for the sale of their goods to consumers. Consequently, those who decide to sell online are faced with the problem of complying with consumer protection rules and need to establish online conditions of sale to consumers (B2C), which are substantially different from those used when selling through their traditional channels, since they imply compliance with special rules protecting purchasers, such as the pre-contractual information to be provided, the right of withdrawal, and the means of payment.
In order to assist businesses in adapting to this new situation, ICC has drafted a set of Model Online B2C General Conditions of Sale in order to provide companies with a helpful tool to assist companies in drafting their own tailor-made B2C general conditions of sale.
This model set of sale conditions does not constitute legal advice and must be adapted to comply with the consumer protection law[s] of the customers/clients to whom goods are being sold. (To be adapted to comply with local consumer protection law of consumer/client)
The annexes are intended to accompany the ICC Model Online B2C General Conditions of Sale and provide supplementary information on requirements under the law of the EU and selected non-EU-countries regarding the establishment of a consumer-facing website for the sale of tangible goods online. They may be supplemented from time to time on the ICC website by the addition of new Member State Notes or non-EU Country Annexes.
Caution: Users of this document and the ICC model are advised that:
- Neither this document nor the ICC Model constitute legal advice.
- Users should consider the content as guidance and should seek legal advice in order to adapt their own conditions of sale to the local consumer laws of any intended consumers/clients.
- The guidance should be checked for currency, as laws and regulations may change from time to time.
