Online Shoppers Should Be Wary of Arbitration Agreements
As we scurry to wrap up holiday gift shopping, the idea of ordering items online can be alluring. But the Norfolk defective product lawyers at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers warn shoppers that ordering online can affect your rights to file a product liability claim.
Many online retailers have begun forcing shoppers to agree to arbitration clauses prior to a purchase. These agreements protect retailers from lawsuits in the event they sell a malfunctioning product and strip consumers of their rights to protection under the law.
An article from The Fiscal Times points out that some of the largest retailers who have adopted the practice include Amazon, Ticketmaster, Starbucks, and Overstock.com.
So what can you do to protect your legal rights while shopping this holiday season? Experts encourage consumers to do shopping at a company’s physical location rather than online, due to the fact arbitration agreements aren’t signed when items are purchased at a store. You can also choose to do any required online shopping with companies that do not force arbitration agreements onto their customers.
At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, we believe in protecting the rights of consumers, and our Norfolk personal injury lawyers hope these tips are useful to you during the holiday shopping season.
