New York State continues to enact legislation aimed at protecting online consumers (see E-TIPS, Vol 5, No 8, October 11, 2006, "New York State Enacts Three Identity Theft Laws" for earlier examples).
The state's new online consumer protection law (Bill S 4964, chapter 72) gives online consumers the same protections as those afforded to consumers who make purchases over the phone or through the mail, such as:
- vendors cannot accept orders for merchandise that cannot be reasonably expected to be shipped within 30 days;
- all advertising must prominently display the legal name, complete street address, and refund policy of the company selling the merchandise;
- vendors who do not ship products to customers within 30 days of the order being placed must give the customer an opportunity to cancel the order and receive a full refund, or receive substitute merchandise; or
- vendors must retain records of all customer complaints about failing to ship merchandise or provide advertised services.