UK sales agreements
Contents
When goods are bought and sold, a contract is formed between the buyer and the seller. The contract might not be in writing. For example, someone buying groceries from a supermarket won't leave with any documents except the till receipt, but will have entered into a contract nonetheless. The buyer will have rights and the supermarket will have obligations.
When your business sells goods, you'll want to set out the terms of your dealings in writing. This section outlines some issues to consider when you draft a contract or terms and conditions for selling your goods or services.
These will be of interest to sellers and buyers alike.
Sale of goods contracts
This section looks at what you can find in a typical contract for the sale of goods, including some of the obligations of the seller, and rights and remedies of the buyer. It also includes a discussion on exclusion terms and unfair contract terms. Consumers have greater protection in sale of goods contracts than business customers.
Business-to-business contracts made electronically
There are special regulations that apply to contracts made electronically, whether the buyer is another business or a consumer. This section looks at these requirements for e-commerce sales to businesses.
Regulatory requirements for consumer contracts
There is greater protection for consumers, with detailed regulations governing the information that must be given to them before they enter into contracts.
In sale-of-goods contracts that aren't made entirely face to face, special rules give consumers certain rights, like cancellation rights. This section looks at your responsibilities if you sell goods or services in this way.
Consumer protection
This section looks at how consumers are protected if you sell them a defective product.
Unfair commercial practices
Consumers are protected by law from unfair commercial practices used by traders to secure sales of their products or to influence consumers' transactional decisions, whether before, during, or after a contract is made. This section outlines your responsibilities as a trader to ensure your commercial practices comply with the law, as failing to do so can be very costly to you and your business.
Agency and distribution agreements
Two of the most common marketing agreements are agency and distribution agreements. Drafting these kinds of agreements can be quite complicated. This section looks at these agreements in detail.