Brussels  - More than half of online shops selling digital cameras and other electronic goods violate the European Union's consumer protection rules by providing incomplete or misleading information, an EU probe showed Wednesday.

The investigation by the European Commission targeted 369 websites selling digital cameras, mobile phones and other popular electronic goods in 26 EU member states plus Norway.

Slovakia did not participate in the study.

The study found that 55 per cent of consumer websites provide misleading information about consumer rights, misleading information about the total cost of the product, or incomplete contact details.

"More than half of the retailers selling online electronic goods are letting consumers down. This is a Europe-wide problem which needs a European solution," said EU Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva.

The most common violation, 66 per cent of the total, involved misleading information about consumers' right to return their product within a minimum of seven days without having to provide a reason.

The probe also found that many traders were telling their customers they would not accept a product back, or that they would only agree to exchange it with a similarly-priced alternative. In other cases, they told customers that the products were guaranteed for just one year, rather than the mandatory two years.

Other common violations included withholding information about shipping costs until the final payment stage, and failing to provide contact information allowing customers to send a complaint.

Kuneva said national enforcing agencies had yet to wake up to the growing importance of the online retail sale of consumer electronic goods, which in 2007 totalled nearly
7 billion euros (10 billion dollars) in sales.

At the same time, the commissioner noted that online retailers faced much stricter rules than street vendors, which for instance do not have to comply to the seven days right-to-return rule.

"My advice is to seek the best value for your money," Kuneva said when asked whether consumers should favour online shops over traditional retailers.

Kuneva said the commission was also working on ways to ensure that online retailers would sell their products in all EU countries.

One popular online camera shop, for instance, offers its products in 26 European countries, but forces customers to place their orders in the website of their country of residence. This prevents them from shopping around the retailer's alternative European websites for the best deal.(dpa)