Phone Number on eCommerce Website

[Punched]

I agree a phone number should be available if possible.

But there are lots of people who run a web-business as a side-line or part-time business and so may not be available to answer the phone during normal office hours.

Thats true, I use a freephone number for my business which diverts to my mobile. Costs me about £5 - £10 a month dependant on how many calls i get, but usally all sales which average about £500 a pop

I can recommend the company i use, for their excellent Freephone packages

if you click on the low usage package you get your freephone number for just £1.00 a month and calls for just 3.9p per minute or you can pay £4.95 a month and you get 250 minutes free, it works for me

[Scootek]

I agree a phone number should be available if possible.

But there are lots of people who run a web-business as a side-line or part-time business and so may not be available to answer the phone during normal office hours.

From personal experience I would strongly advise against buying from stores that can't be contacted.

[Paragon]

From personal experience I would strongly advise against buying from stores that can't be contacted.

As I just said not all web businesses can main a phone line during the day, that does not mean they will not provide a good product or service.
If they have an e-mail address, use it, if they don't respond within 24 hours then don't use them. Or e-mail them and ask them to call you back?

[Scootek]

As I just said not all web businesses can main a phone line during the day, that does not mean they will not provide a good product or service.
If they have an e-mail address, use it, if they don't respond within 24 hours then don't use them. Or e-mail them and ask them to call you back?

Steve, if you run an online store it's not meant at you personally.

I have had very bad experiences with online stores that fail to respond to emails. That sometimes even have advertised telephone numbers that always goes to voicemail. I do 90% of all my purchasing online, both personal and business. And I have been left stranded by online retailers on many occasions.

[Paragon]

Steve, if you run an online store it's not meant at you personally.

I have had very bad experiences with online stores that fail to respond to emails. That sometimes even have advertised telephone numbers that always goes to voicemail. I do 90% of all my purchasing online, both personal and business. And I have been left stranded by online retailers on many occasions.

Not taking it personally, but just seemed to be tarring people with the same brush. I run several e-commerce websites, as a daily job as an employee and in my spare time for myself so can't have a phone number but will obviously always respond to e-mails.
I've had bad experiences too, from big players as much as small businesses.
I agree its better to have a phone number etc but not always possible, this doesn't mean those sites are scams or rip-off merchants.

[Indizine]

I dont mind that an ecommece store doesnt have a number, so long as there is a trading address visible should I want to track them down, and an email address, not just a contact form.

I would probably send an email first as an enquiry to see how quick they respond, and if they get back to me quite quickly, say within 24 hours - which for a sales enquiry is fair enough - I would be happy to purchase, assuming everything else is in place to buy online safely.

[Punched]

I think its a legal requirement for any online business to provide company details, and contact options ? Please correct me if i'm wrong

[Indizine]

this maybe be of some help

http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/cons...page38102.html

[Punched]

this maybe be of some help

http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/cons...page38102.html

Spot on

[Scootek]

Not taking it personally, but just seemed to be tarring people with the same brush. I run several e-commerce websites, as a daily job as an employee and in my spare time for myself so can't have a phone number but will obviously always respond to e-mails.
I've had bad experiences too, from big players as much as small businesses.
I agree its better to have a phone number etc but not always possible, this doesn't mean those sites are scams or rip-off merchants.

I know they are not scams. I am sure you provide a good service. But there are also a lot of bad ones out there that fail to reply to emails. I suppose that's in all trades.