Identifying and removing DSM obstacles: An evidence-based policy response Despina Spanou, Director for Consumers, DG JUST IMCO Working Group on the Digital Single Market, 26 May 2015 Justice and Consumers
From evidence to policy • Logic of DSM strategy : • • Removing obstacles • Win-win • Need to understand : • current patterns of online cross-border transactions • obstacles & concerns both from supply and demand sides Justice and Consumers
DSM obstacles: the consumer perspective (1) • Persistent trust gap: consumers more confident making domestic online purchases (61%) than from other EU countries (38%) • Not a real internal market in some cases : • impossibility of completing a purchase: 10% of consumers say foreign seller refused to deliver to their country; 8% were redirected to a website in their own country where prices were different; 5% report that retailer did not accept payment from their country (2014) • 74% of the complaints concerning services received by ECC's related to consumers facing difference in price or service when buying online cross-border (2010-12) Justice and Consumers
DSM obstacles: the consumer perspective (2) • Main concerns with cross-border shopping relate to: delivery, conformity, rights, redress… What are your greatest CONCERNS about buying products online in another EU country? (% of respondents, N=22,848) 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% High delivery costs 27% High return shipping costs 24% Long delivery times 23% It may be more difficult to solve any problems 23% Replacement or repair of a faulty product is not easy 20% Returning a product I didn't like and getting reimbursed is not easy 20% Personal data may be misused 19% The payment card details may be stolen 17% Products will not be delivered at all 15% Wrong or damaged products will be delivered 15% Goods sold online might be unsafe/ counterfeit 14% I do not know consumer rights when buying online from another… 11% Justice and Consumers
DSM obstacles: the business perspective (1) Base : Companies that sold their products and/or services online in another EU country in 2014 and those that used to do so or tried to do so (N=1903) Justice and Consumers
DSM obstacles: the business perspective (2) • Harmonisation of rules for e-commerce would encourage cross-border supply Base : Companies that sold their products and/or services online in another EU country in 2014 and those that used to do it, tried to do it, are trying to do it or are considering it (N=2423) Justice and Consumers
Digital Contracts proposal: Unleashing the potential of e-commerce in Europe • A key DSM Strategy aim: achieving better online access to goods and digital content • Legislative proposal covering: − harmonised rules for online purchases of digital content and − key contractual rights for domestic and cross-border online sales of tangible goods Justice and Consumers
Thank you! Justice and Consumers
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