Repsol YPF

The rapid rise in Internet use in recent years has not only led to a great improvement in access to information and the growth of social networks, but has also resulted in the appearance of what is known as “electronic commerce”. An option which although less established in Spain than in other European countries, is acquiring more and more fans. During 2008, electronic commerce in Spain increased by no less than 40% compared to the previous year, exceeding a turnover of 5 billion euros, the sale of aeroplane tickets, train tickets and travel agency offers enjoying the best results.

Saving on transport

Curiously, it is transport, or the lack of it, that is one of the main advantages when carrying out such transactions at our computer. The large number of journeys that can be saved, make online shopping a source of time and financial savings for the consumer. This also helps to free up the roads in big cities and even helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; not only does it stop us from having to go to the shops to make our purchases, but also makes it unnecessary for us to shop around, comparing prices and products, visiting places which are often far apart. In the virtual world the opportunity to look at alternatives is not only greater (and without limited opening hours), but requires no more effort than simply clicking the mouse. 

This rationalisation of transport use is also reflected in the case of home shopping as offered by the large stores (such as Eroski, Mercadona and Carrefour), via whose websites we can do our shopping either from home or from work, and have it delivered home for a charge varying between 6 and 9 euros. In addition to the greater comfort for the consumer, this system replaces the individual trips made by each user to the shopping centre in their own vehicle with a deliveryman.

The Electonic Commerce Act

However, as we mentioned at the start, this way of shopping is still only used by a minority in Spain compared to the rest of European countries, and the main resistance is due to a fear of falling victim to fraud. The possibility of a hacker accessing our current account or personal data during the purchasing process, or that the product we buy does not reach us or display the agreed characteristics, still affects many consumers. 

The Information Society Services Act (LSSI), passed by the Spanish parliament in 2002, seeks to reduce these risks to the lowest possible level. However, it must be remembered that it only applies to Spanish companies, which represented just over half of the Internet sales made last year. 

According to this Act, a company selling any product or service over the Internet must display clear and precise information about it, including any applicable taxes and delivery costs, as well as information concerning the company’s registered office, e-mail address and details of its entry in the business register. Furthermore, any conflict which may arise from this online contract, must be subject to the courts of the consumer’s place of residence.

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