1. The Competition Bureau Experience BUILDING TRUST IN THE ONLINE ENVIRONMENT: BUSINESS TO CONSUMER DISPUTE RESOLUTION JOINT CONFERENCE OF THE OECD, HCOPIL, ICC The Crown Plaza Promenade Hotel The Hague 11-12 December 2000 Illustrating B2C Complaints in the Online Environment Presented by Competition Bureau, Industry Canada

5. Most Common Areas of E-Commerce Complaints to Canada’s Competition Bureau non-delivery of goods time for delivery non-disclosure of charges/costs product attributes retail versus on-line pricing

6. OECD Guidelines - Internet Sweep Results Competition Bureau carried out internet sweep in August 2000 Reviewed 292 websites Included diverse categories of e-merchants: sports and fitness, books, C.D.’s, health & beauty products, clothing

7. Selected Results: 77% disclose full purchase cost 45% explain liability/warranty 52% describe return, exchange policy 65% describe taxes, other charges 26% provide consumer complaint procedures 16% describe dispute resolution mechanisms

8. Conclusions - From Our Experience Internet use is gradually growing Consumer issues are multi - jurisdictional Consumers using internet report range of complaints Information disclosure is an area for potential consumer concerns Dispute resolution mechanisms are not widely available