Distance sales contracts are not entered into person and you do not have the opportunity to inspect the goods before purchasing. An example of this would be agreeing to a contract made over the internet or the phone.

When you enter into a distance sales contract, the supplier must disclose certain information to you such as:

• A detailed description of the goods or services to be supplied under the contract
• the supplier’s delivery arrangement
• if applicable, the supplier’s cancellation, return, exchange and refund policies

To see a complete list of the information the supplier of a distance sales contract must disclose please visit section 46 of the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act.

A distance sales contract may not be binding if a copy is not provided to you within 15 days after the contract is entered into.  If this is the case, you have 30 days from the date the contract was entered into to cancel it.  There are other provisions in the legislation with respect to cancellation, so it is important to review all the legislation that pertains to direct sales contracts to see what fits your particular situation.  To review this legislation visit section 49 of the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act.

If you pay for an item and then decide to cancel the contract, the supplier has 15 days to give you a refund.  If the supplier does not provide a refund within that timeframe, there are options available to you including requesting a credit card charge back if payment was made by credit card.