What to do when an online purchase goes wrong: not delivered, wrong item, damaged, want to return it, refund not received (B.C. online shopping rules)

1. First, a few terms

Distance sales contract. What the B.C. law means is: a contract that is not entered into in person and, if you are buying goods, one where you have no opportunity to inspect the goods before you place the order. Ordering online, by phone or by email generally all count. Consumer Protection BC says this "contract" may simply be an order confirmation email or an electronic receipt. The law states that prepaid cards, such as gift cards, are not included.

Supply date. In the law, this is the day the goods are delivered to you (or the day the services begin). Online stores often call it the "estimated delivery date" or the "shipping date". This date matters a lot: the 30 days in section 4 are counted from it. If the order shows both a shipping date and a delivery date, to be safe, count the 30 days from the delivery date, not from the earlier shipping date, so that you do not cancel too early.

Copy of the contract. The order details the business sends you after you order. It can be an email or a separate document. B.C. law requires the business to give it to you within 15 days after you order (section 9).

Notice of cancellation. The letter, email or form you use to tell the business "I am cancelling this contract". B.C. law has requirements for it: it must say that you are cancelling and give the reason, and you send it in a way that can prove the date it was sent (section 4).

Chargeback (reversal). You tell the bank that issued your card "there is a problem with this charge", and the bank reverses that card charge. B.C. law has a credit card reversal process specifically for online purchases (section 11), and banks also have their own dispute processes; the two are not the same thing.

Legal warranty. Under B.C.'s Sale of Goods Act, goods bought from a business must work, must match their description, and must last a reasonable time. This applies whether or not the business mentions it, and whether or not there is a warranty card (section 7).

Store credit. Instead of giving you cash or a refund to your card, the store gives you an amount that can only be spent at that store.

RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization). Many online stores ask you to request a return first and get a number, and then send the item back to the address they give you.

One thing to remember first. In the words of Canada's Office of Consumer Affairs: in Canada, businesses have no legal obligation to accept returns unless the item is defective. So "I just do not want it" depends on the business's policy (section 8); "it did not arrive, it is the wrong item, it is broken" is when you look at the rights the law gives you (sections 4 to 7).

Related: if you have just arrived in Canada and are buying things online to set up your home, first see Guide No. 2, First 90 days.

2. First, work out which situation you are in

First, find out who the seller actually is. The Office of Consumer Affairs points out that when you buy on a large platform, the seller may be a third-party store on that platform. If the product page shows "sold by", "shipped by" or "fulfilled by", or the website uses words such as "marketplace" or "partners", it is most likely a third party. Third-party stores usually set their own prices, handle their own after-sales service and returns, and sometimes handle their own delivery; their return policies may differ from the platform's own. So first write down the seller's name and the order number, and save the product page.

3. Keep your evidence first

Create a folder named after your order number and put the following in it. You do not need to wait until you have everything before you speak up: for matters with very short time limits (sections 4 and 9), send your notice first and add the documents later.

• Proof of purchase: the order confirmation email, the invoice or receipt, how much you paid and in what currency, and the seller's name and contact information.
• What the business promised when you ordered: the product model, size, colour, quantity, features, the description on the web page, the delivery date, the delivery method (handed to you, left at the door, left in a parcel locker), and the return and exchange terms. Web pages change, so take screenshots as early as you can.
• Evidence about the delivery and the item itself: the tracking number, the delivery photo, the signature record, the outer packaging, labels, serial numbers, and photos of the damage or the wrong item. For expensive items, a video of you opening the box helps, but not having one does not mean you have no case.
• What happened along the way: the date you first contacted them, customer service ticket numbers, what they promised, your notice of cancellation and the record of sending it, the return authorization number, and the receipt for sending the item back. The Office of Consumer Affairs suggests that when you call, you write down the person's name, title and employee number and make a few dated notes; when you hand in documents, give only copies and keep the originals.

Turn the long story into a timeline: the date you ordered, the date it should have arrived, the date you found the problem, the date you contacted them, the date you sent it back. Then write one clear request, such as "send the missing part" or "cancel the order and refund everything I paid". Do not switch back and forth between asking for an exchange and asking for a refund; it confuses both the business and the organizations that help you later.

4. The package never arrived: the 30-day right to cancel under B.C. law

Follow up first, then count the days. If a package is late, first check the address and unit number on the order and whether it was shipped in several parts, then check the tracking number on the delivery company's website. Write to the seller, or leave a message in the order, to follow up, and say clearly whether you want to keep waiting or to cancel. Consumer Protection BC also says that talking with the business first is often the fastest way.

B.C. law gives you a right to cancel in two situations:

This is set out in section 49 (1) (c) and (d) of B.C.'s Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act (BPCPA).

Cancel before the goods arrive. Consumer Protection BC states that if you are cancelling because of late delivery, you must cancel before the goods are delivered; once they are in your hands, you can no longer cancel on the ground that they were late. If you want to return them after they arrive, see sections 6 to 8.

The 30 days are not always counted from the day you ordered. If the contract states a delivery date, count from the delivery date.

A few examples:

• You order on October 1, and the order says it will be delivered on October 20. If it has not arrived by November 3, you can follow up and negotiate, but you cannot cancel under this rule yet, because 30 days have not passed since October 20. If it has still not been delivered after November 19 (the 30th day after October 20), you can send a notice of cancellation.
• You order on October 1, and the order does not state a delivery date. If it has still not been delivered after October 31 (the 30th day after you ordered), you can send a notice of cancellation.

The business offers you a new delivery date. You can agree or not. If you agree, keep the new date in writing; do not keep changing it vaguely back and forth in a chat. The official website does not say which day the 30 days are counted from after you agree to a new date; if you want to keep your right to cancel, do not casually agree to "wait a little longer", and if you are not sure, ask Consumer Protection BC first.

How to cancel.

1. Use the official form from Consumer Protection BC (links below), or write your own. The law says a notice of cancellation is enough as long as it shows, in any way, that you are cancelling, and states the reason.
2. Send it to the business in a way that can prove the date it was sent: email, fax, registered mail, or by hand. The form is meant to be sent to the business, not filled in and kept on your own phone.
3. The law states that if it is not delivered in person, notice is given at the moment it is sent. So be sure to keep the record of sending it.
4. Keep a copy, and after a few days ask the business whether they received it.

The business must refund you within 15 days. The law (section 50) states that after you cancel, the business must refund all the money it received under the contract, without deducting any fees, within 15 days. If you have already received the goods, the 15 days count from the day you send the goods back as the business instructed (section 10).

What is cancelled along with it. The law also states that when this contract is cancelled, related consumer transactions, and any instalment payment or credit agreement the business arranged for you, are cancelled too; the business must stop any future automatic payments you authorized.

Do not refuse delivery on purpose. The law (section 53) says that if you refuse the goods when they are delivered to your door, or if the business gave you reasonable advance notice of the delivery and no one was there to receive them, the business is treated as having delivered them. Do not deliberately refuse a delivery or leave a package uncollected just to be able to say it "never arrived".

Orders placed before August 1. The lower part of Consumer Protection BC's page is a section for contracts entered into before August 1. It also has a 30-day rule, with a different set of forms; download them from that section.

5. Marked "delivered", but you did not get it

In B.C., "delivered" by default means handed to you. Consumer Protection BC puts it this way: "delivered to the consumer" by default means the package is handed directly to you. If the business plans to use another method, such as leaving it at the door or giving it to someone else in your household, it must let you know in advance so that you can decide whether to buy; this is usually in the information you see before you click "confirm purchase". If the business did not hand it to you and did not tell you in advance that it would use another method, the business may not have delivered it as the rules require.

First, look everywhere. Canada Post suggests:

• If you live in a house: walk around the house and look for a delivery notice card; ask everyone in your household; check the tracking to see whether someone signed for it and whether the signature is someone in your household.
• If you live in an apartment: your mailbox, the parcel locker (the key will be left in your mailbox), the front desk or security, and the property manager.
• If you use a community mailbox: your mailbox and the parcel compartment (the key will also be left in your mailbox).
• If you chose "safe drop": look in safe places around your house, and ask your household whether someone took it inside.

If you use a community mailbox: how to open the parcel compartment. Open your own compartment: inside there is either the package itself or a key with a number tag. Find the large parcel compartment with the number on the tag, open it with that key and take the package; then lock the parcel compartment and drop the key into the mailbox's outgoing mail slot; do not take it home. Packages that do not fit in a parcel compartment, or that need a signature, are delivered to your door; if no one is home and there is no safe place to leave a package, or it must be signed for, it goes to a nearby post office and you get a delivery notice card. See section 8 of Guide No. 73.

→ No. 73 · Canada Post's switch to community mailboxes

Canada Post also says that most late packages arrive within 5 business days after the expected delivery date.

Something you should know. The parts of this section about "handed to you by default" and "you can cancel if it was not handed to you" are written by Consumer Protection BC in the section of its page for contracts before August 1, and the article on who is responsible when you don't get your package was also published before the new rules; the section on the new rules does not cover this situation again. For orders placed from August 1, follow the 30-day rule in section 49 of the BPCPA (see section 4 above) and use the new forms; if you are not sure, ask Consumer Protection BC first.

Then check what you agreed to. Consumer Protection BC suggests going back to see whether you agreed to another delivery method when you ordered: you can go through the ordering process again (stopping before you pay) to see where the delivery method is stated; if you are not sure, ask the business. At the same time, ask the seller for proof of delivery: which address it was delivered to, and the delivery photo or signature record.

You never agreed to another delivery method, and it was not handed to you. Consumer Protection BC states that if you did not agree to another delivery method and the goods were not handed to you within 30 days after you ordered (or, if there is an estimated delivery date, within 30 days from that date), you can cancel using the form in section 4 and ask for a refund.

You agreed to have it left at the door, and it was stolen after it was left there. That is a different situation. Consumer Protection BC's page does not say the seller must refund you in this case, so do not count on getting a refund every time. First ask the seller and the delivery company about their rules.

Ask Canada Post to trace it. For packages sent by Canada Post:

• Both the sender and the recipient can ask Canada Post to start a trace (by opening a support ticket, which is an online customer service request), but only the sender can file and receive a claim. For online purchases, the sender is usually the seller. You open it in the "Open a support ticket" part of Canada Post's page on missing packages (link below): you can click "Continue" without signing in, but then you cannot track it online; if you sign in, you can track it. Then choose residential or business, and click "Open a ticket".
• Packages sent from within Canada (for example, by an online store in B.C. or another province using Canada Post): you must start within 90 days from the mailing date, and the expected delivery date must have passed without the package arriving.
• Packages sent from abroad: ask the seller (the sender) to trace and claim with the postal service or courier on their side. The "6 months" group of time limits on Canada Post's page is for packages sent from Canada to the U.S. and other countries, not for packages coming in. We did not confirm, this time, how packages sent from abroad and delivered by Canada Post are traced on the Canadian side.
• Have ready: the tracking number, the sender's and recipient's names, addresses and contact information, what was in the package, and how much extra insurance was bought.
• If the recipient starts the trace: Canada Post watches the tracking for a few days; if the package still has not arrived after a few days, it closes the trace and tells you to ask the sender to file a claim.
• Compensation: what the sender can get is the lowest of three amounts: the value of the item itself, the extra insurance bought when it was mailed, and the insurance included with that service; even without insurance, the postage may be refunded. Canada Post says many of its services include $100 of insurance. All of this is decided after the investigation, under its rules.

Private couriers such as UPS, FedEx and Purolator. Each has different rules, and this guide did not check them one by one. Go to the seller first; packages from online purchases are usually sent by the seller.

An example. The tracking shows "Delivered, left at door", but when you ordered you only saw "standard shipping", and nothing anywhere said it would be left at the door. First you look around and ask your neighbours and the property manager, then write to the seller asking for the delivery photo and what delivery method they were relying on (section 15 has a sample letter). The seller replies "we have no obligation", and 30 days have passed since the estimated delivery date (or 30 days after you ordered, if the order had no delivery date) and the goods have still not been handed to you, so you can send a notice of cancellation using the form in section 4.

6. Wrong item or missing items

First say exactly what is wrong. You bought a black 256GB one and received a silver 128GB one; you ordered four and there are only two in the box. Compare the order with what you received item by item, list the differences, take photos, and write to the seller saying clearly what you want: the missing items sent, an exchange for the right item, or a refund.

What Consumer Protection BC says:

1. First ask the business to correct the mistake; they may send the right item or refund you. Keep the item as it is so that you can return it in its original condition. The business may ask you to send the wrong item back, but should not make you pay the return shipping.
2. If the business neither refunds you nor sends the right item, the next step is to cancel the contract: if the right item has not been delivered within 30 days from the original delivery date (or within 30 days after you ordered, if no delivery date was stated), cancel using the form in section 4 and ask for a refund.

Something you should know. Consumer Protection BC also wrote these two steps in the section for contracts before August 1; the section on the new rules only says that you can cancel under the 30-day rule if "the business did not deliver what you ordered". For orders placed from August 1, follow section 49 of the BPCPA (see section 4 above) and use the new forms; if you are not sure, ask Consumer Protection BC first.

Do not throw away or sell the wrong item. Being sent the wrong item does not mean it was given to you. If they say "send it back first", get the return address and the return authorization number first, ask who pays for shipping, and then send it. Do not keep using the wrong item.

You found out only after using it for a while that it does not perform properly. That is most likely not a wrong item but a quality problem; see section 7.

7. The item is broken, or not what the website described

The quality protection the law gives you. Sections 17 and 18 of B.C.'s Sale of Goods Act say that goods bought from a business must:

• match the description: match what was said on the web page, in the advertisement and by the business;
• work (the law calls this "merchantable quality"): work normally and not be broken;
• be fit for the purpose: if you told the business what you needed it for and relied on the business's recommendation when buying, it must be suitable for that purpose;
• last a reasonable time: this depends on what the item is, how much it cost and how it is normally used; more expensive items are covered for longer.

People's Law School (a B.C. non-profit that provides public legal education) gives an example: if the website says the shoes are genuine leather and they turn out to be synthetic leather, they do not match the description and you can return them.

If you buy from a private individual, you are protected less. People's Law School says that when you buy from an individual, the item only has to last a reasonable time and match its description; the "work" and "fit for the purpose" rules only apply to sellers who are in the business of selling such goods.

The legal warranty does not help in these cases: normal wear and tear, accidental damage, and incorrect use; and defects you should have noticed if you inspected the item before buying it.

What you can ask for. People's Law School says that when a business breaks a contract, the law offers three remedies: cancel the contract, return the item and get your money back; have the business pay for your losses (for example, paying for repairs or a replacement, and also for any other damage the faulty item caused); or have the business do what the contract says (give you an item that works). Which one applies depends on how serious the problem is and whether it concerns an important part of the contract; not every small defect gets you a full refund of the order. If you want to return the item and get your money back, act right away: if you wait too long, it is hard to prove that the problem was in the item itself and not from wear.

"Final sale" does not block quality problems, at least for new goods. "I ordered the wrong size" and "it was broken from the start" are two different things. Section 20 of B.C.'s Sale of Goods Act states that for new goods a business sells you at retail, any term in the contract that tries to exclude or reduce the legal protections above is void. So "final sale" can generally block "I no longer want it", but not "it was broken when it arrived". This rule does not cover goods that are obviously used or that the business says are second-hand, and it does not cover goods bought for business use.

When you find a problem, tell the seller in writing right away. Write down the date you found it, what is wrong and how you want it resolved. Do not keep using it for a long time or open it up and fix it yourself, and then blame everything on the seller afterwards.

If there is a safety problem, stop using it first. The Office of Consumer Affairs says that if you bought something that has been recalled, stop using it right away and check the Recalls and Safety Alerts database for what to do next; if using it caused a health or safety problem, you can report it to Health Canada and also tell the business that sold it to you. Do not keep taking risks with it just to record a video. To check for a recall, type the product name or brand into the "Search alerts and recalls" box on the Recalls and Safety Alerts home page. To report a problem, click "Submit a report" in the "Report an incident" part of the same page (link below).

The manufacturer's warranty, an extended warranty and the legal warranty are three different things.

• Legal warranty: given by law, whether or not the business mentions it.
• Manufacturer's warranty: the manufacturer's own promise; check the warranty card for how long it lasts, what it covers and how to make a claim. If the business tells you to go to the manufacturer, you can first ask whether the manufacturer can repair it quickly, but a warranty card does not wipe out the responsibility the business has under the law.
• Extended warranty: one you pay extra for. People's Law School points out that it may not give you more rights than the legal warranty; read the terms before you buy it.

Do not assume that because the warranty card says "one-year warranty", you have no rights at all after one year; but do not assume either that you can get a free replacement no matter how long you have used it.

Electronics bought from foreign websites. People's Law School points out that manufacturer's warranties often do not apply outside the country; if you buy online from a foreign business, the item may not be covered once you are back in Canada, even if the same model is sold in Canada.

When you go to the manufacturer for a repair, bring: the model, the serial number, proof of purchase, a description of the problem and the warranty card; ask about inspection fees, shipping costs, where it will be repaired, how long it will take and what happens if it cannot be fixed.

If you have taken it apart yourself or had it repaired at an outside shop, are you still covered? The Office of Consumer Affairs warns that if you try to fix an appliance yourself, or have someone other than an authorized person repair it, most warranties will be void. The federal "right to repair" (Bill C-244), in force since November 7, 2024, only means that getting around a "digital lock" on a product's software in order to repair it is no longer a breach of the Copyright Act; it did not change the terms on your warranty card. But a void manufacturer's warranty does not mean the protection under the Sale of Goods Act automatically disappears as well; whether the problem comes from the product itself or was caused later during a repair depends on the evidence. If you want to repair it yourself or use an outside shop, first ask the manufacturer or seller in writing which protections would be affected. See section 8 of Guide No. 54.

→ No. 54 · Right to repair

8. Nothing is wrong with it, you just do not want it

Check the business's return policy. Clothes that do not fit, something you bought twice, a lower price you saw the next day: the first thing to check is what the business promised when you ordered. The Office of Consumer Affairs says many businesses are willing to accept returns and exchanges to keep good relationships with their customers, not because the law makes them. It also points out that business return and exchange policies often exclude:

• personal items such as earrings and swimsuits;
• cash refunds (only exchanges or store credit);
• sale or discounted items;
• returns after a set number of days.

Be careful around the holidays too: the Office of Consumer Affairs says many retailers restrict returns between Boxing Day (December 26) and New Year's Day, and then relax their return periods in January.

Go through it point by point:

• when the return period starts: when you order, when it ships, or when you receive it;
• what you must do within the period: "request" a return, "send" it, or have it "received by the business";
• whether you can still return it if you opened the packaging, used it, cut off the tags or lost some accessories;
• who pays for return shipping, and whether there is a "restocking fee" (often charged as a percentage of the price; the Office of Consumer Affairs points out that some businesses charge this if you open the original packaging and then return it);
• whether the refund goes back to your original card, is paid in cash, or is only store credit.

If you bought online, see whether there is a physical store. The Office of Consumer Affairs suggests that if the business has a physical store and allows in-store returns, you do not have to repack the item, go to the post office and pay return postage.

The price dropped after you bought it. The Office of Consumer Affairs says that if the price drops after you buy something, the business has no legal obligation to refund the difference unless it has its own price protection policy.

The new B.C. rule: return policies must be made clear in advance. Consumer Protection BC states that from August 1, 2026, businesses must state their policies on returns, exchanges, cancellations and refunds both before you order and in the contract; even if they have no such policies, they must say so. If the contract does not state them, or what it states is different from what you were told before ordering, you may have the right to cancel; see section 9.

The policy is vague. Send a screenshot of that page to customer service and ask them to confirm in writing how it applies to your order. Even after the return period has passed, you can still ask politely, but do not turn "please make an exception for me" into "the law says you must take it back". If the business agrees to make an exception, get written confirmation before you send it.

It was a gift. The Office of Consumer Affairs points out: keep the gift receipt; without it, the business often cannot give a refund and may only offer store credit.

An example. You bought a coat online and it does not fit. The policy says "returns accepted within 30 days of delivery, tags must be attached, refund to original card, return shipping of $9.99 deducted from the refund". On day 10 you find that it does not fit and you have not cut off the tags, so you request a return under this policy; the shipping deduction was stated in advance, so it is not the business breaking the rules.

9. No copy of the contract, or the contract is missing required information: two more reasons to cancel

The business must give you a copy of the contract within 15 days. BPCPA section 48: for orders placed online, by phone or by email, the business must give you a copy of the contract within 15 days after you order, containing the information it had to give you before you ordered, your name and the date of the order. If it is emailed to the address you provided, the law treats it as received on the 3rd day after it was sent.

If you did not get it within 15 days, you can cancel within 30 days. Section 49 (1) (b): if the business did not give you a copy on time, you can cancel within 30 days after you order.

For example: you order on November 1, and by November 16 (the 15th day after you ordered) you still have not received any order confirmation or contract; you must send your notice of cancellation on December 1 (the 30th day after you ordered) at the latest. The dates are tight, so do not leave it until the last day.

If the contract is missing required information or does not match what you were told before ordering, you can cancel within 7 days. Section 18.4: you can cancel if any one of these three things applies:

• the contract does not include information the law requires;
• what the contract says is different from what you saw before you ordered;
• the business did not give you the information as required before you ordered.

For online purchases (distance sales contracts), the time limit is 7 days after you receive the copy of the contract. Using the "an email counts as received on the 3rd day" rule above, an order confirmation email sent on November 3 counts as received on November 6, so the 7 days run to around November 13. To be safe, count from the day you actually received the email, and send your notice as early as you can.

What the contract must include. The main items Consumer Protection BC lists under the new rules (sections 18.2 and 18.3) are:

• the business's legal name, and also its business name if that is different;
• the date of the order;
• a detailed description of the goods or services, including technical specifications where there are any;
• the delivery method and where they will be delivered;
• if they are not supplied on the same day, the date they will be delivered (or begin) and the date they will be fully completed;
• an itemized price;
• other charges that can be calculated in advance, such as taxes and shipping;
• what the charges are that cannot be calculated in advance, such as duties and brokerage fees;
• if you are not paying in Canadian dollars, which currency;
• the terms of payment, including the amount of each instalment if you pay in instalments;
• the total price, including the cost of borrowing;
• the conditions of any promotional offer, how long it lasts and what happens after it ends;
• any other restrictions and conditions;
• the policies on returns, exchanges, cancellations and refunds;
• if it renews, how it renews and whether it renews automatically.

A few more things before you order online. Section 47: for an electronic contract, before you order, the business must let you open and see this information, save it and print it; it must clearly give you an opportunity to correct errors, and clearly let you choose to "accept" or "decline".

One thing we could not confirm. Section 18.3 says that the business only has to make these disclosures before you order if the total price of the contract is over a "prescribed amount". We could not find what this amount is in B.C.'s Consumer Contracts Regulation. If the item is inexpensive and you are not sure, ask Consumer Protection BC. What the copy of the contract must include (section 18.2) has no such amount threshold.

This is not a "no-questions-asked return". To use this rule, you have to point out which specific item is missing, or which item is different before and after you ordered.

For example: the order page said shipping was $10, but the order confirmation email says $25; that means the contract is different from what you were told before ordering. Within 7 days after receiving the email, you can cancel using Consumer Protection BC's form.

How to send it. Consumer Protection BC says: send the form directly to the business in a way that can prove delivery, such as email, fax or registered mail; keep a copy and follow up; the law gives the business 15 days to respond. For online orders placed before August 1, use the 7-day form in the old-contracts section of the "Problem with an online purchase" page (link below).

These contract terms are void under the law. BPCPA sections 14.2 and 14.3: a consumer contract cannot say "you may not post reviews online", and cannot say "disputes must go to arbitration" or "you may not take part in a class action"; if it does, those terms are void. However, after a dispute has arisen, the two sides can agree on their own to go to arbitration.

10. Returns and refunds: after a legal cancellation, and ordinary returns

After a legal cancellation (the situations in sections 4 and 9 of this guide)

These rules come from BPCPA sections 50 and 51 and only apply to distance sales contracts you have cancelled under B.C. law. Ordinary "I no longer want it" returns follow the business's policy; these rules do not apply to them.

• The business gives return instructions first. Within 15 days after you send your notice of cancellation, the business must tell you how to return the goods, and the instructions must be consistent with the return policy in the contract.
• If the business does not give instructions within 15 days, you do not have to return the goods. The law states that in this case you do not have to return the goods and you no longer have any obligation under the contract for them. This assumes you really did cancel under the law; it does not mean you can keep the item whenever the business fails to answer some return request.
• The goods must be unused and in the same condition as when they were delivered. Then the business must accept them.
• The business pays the reasonable cost of returning them. Consumer Protection BC says you should not be made to pay the return shipping.
• Sending them counts as returning them. If you do not return them in person, they count as returned at the moment you send them. Be sure to keep the shipping receipt and the tracking number.
• When you get your refund. The business must give you a full refund, with nothing deducted, within 15 days. The 15 days start from the later of two dates: the day you sent the notice of cancellation, or the day you sent the goods back after the business gave return instructions as required. If there are no goods to return, count from the day you sent the notice of cancellation.
• The business does not refund you. Section 55 states that you can collect the refund as a debt the business owes you, for example through small claims (see section 14 below). If you paid by credit card, see section 11 first.

Ordinary returns: follow this checklist

• First confirm that the return is approved: which item, how many, the return authorization number (RMA), which address or drop-off point it goes to, and the date by which it must be sent or arrive.
• Ask about the money: who pays for return shipping, whose label to use, whether the original shipping charge or a restocking fee will be deducted, and how much you expect to get back.
• Pack it and keep evidence: take photos of the item, the accessories, the serial number and the sealed box; remove the old shipping label and attach the new one. For phones and computers, back them up first, then clear your personal data following the manufacturer's instructions.
• Get proof when you send it: keep the counter receipt, the tracking number and the package weight; take screenshots of both the "shipped" and the "delivered to them" statuses. Just "creating a label" does not mean it has been sent.
• Follow up on the refund: ask how much will be refunded, when it will be processed, where it will go, and whether there is a refund reference number. Check your bank or payment account to see that the money has really arrived; do not rely only on the "approved" status on the online store.

An example. On November 20 the goods still have not arrived, so you cancel under the law because of late delivery and send an email; the goods only arrive on November 23. The business replies on November 25 with the return address (within 15 days after you sent the notice of cancellation). You send it back on November 28 and keep the receipt. The 15 days for the refund count from November 28, so the business must finish refunding you by around December 13.

11. You cancelled, and the business will not refund you: go to your credit card company

The B.C. credit card chargeback (BPCPA section 52)

When you can use it. All three must apply:

1. you paid for the order fully or partly by credit card;
2. you cancelled under section 49 of the BPCPA: that is, for late delivery (see section 4 above), or for "no copy of the contract within 15 days" (see section 9 above);
3. the business did not refund you within 15 days as section 50 requires.

Something to watch for. Section 52 only says "cancelled under section 49". If you cancelled under section 18.4 (the contract was missing required information or did not match), the wording of the law does not include you in this section. In that case you can use your bank's own dispute process (below), or go to small claims (section 14); if you are not sure, tell Consumer Protection BC or your card issuer the date you ordered and the reason you cancelled, and ask which route to take.

The request must include these six things (section 52 (3)):

• the business's name;
• the date you ordered (entered into the contract);
• how much was charged to this card;
• what you bought, described clearly enough to identify it;
• your reason for cancelling under section 49;
• the date you cancelled and how.

Also attach your notice of cancellation and proof that you sent it.

What the card issuer must do. Within 30 days after receiving the request, it must tell you that it has received it; if the request meets the requirements above, it must reverse the charge and the related interest and fees within two complete billing cycles or 90 days, whichever comes first.

By when you must make the request. Neither section 52 nor Consumer Protection BC's page says. But banks' own dispute processes do have deadlines (in the CIBC example below, within 30 days after the statement date), so if the business has not refunded you after 15 days, send the request as soon as you can.

How to send it. Consumer Protection BC has a ready-made request form (link below). Send it to the credit card company in a way that can prove delivery, such as email, fax or registered mail; keep a copy, and follow up to ask whether they received it. The form's web address shows that it was uploaded in November 2024, and it has not been replaced since the new rules of August 1; we did not open this PDF to check its contents, so compare it with the six items above before you fill it in.

Neither of them refunds you. If neither the business nor the credit card company refunds you, Consumer Protection BC asks you to file a complaint, and they will look at your situation; this assumes you have already done all of the steps above (section 14).

Your bank's own dispute process (not fraud, and not section 52)

If you really did make the purchase, but it never arrived, you were charged the wrong amount, or you were not refunded when you should have been, tell the bank this is a "merchant dispute" (non-fraud dispute), not fraud. Each bank has different rules; below is what CIBC's web page says, as an example only, not a rule for all of Canada:

• You must first try to resolve it with the merchant; if that does not work, or the merchant has not replied 2 business days after you contacted them, you can start a dispute in online banking.
• The transaction must be posted first; a transaction that is still "pending" can only be disputed if you suspect fraud.
• Submit it no later than 30 days after the statement date; the earlier the better.
• You may be asked to upload receipts, proof of refund and the order confirmation email; upload them by the date the bank gives you, or the merchant may win.
• The merchant will also submit its evidence, and you may need to respond.
• It can take up to 120 days from the transaction settlement date to get a result.
• If you lose, the money temporarily credited to you will be taken back, and you will have to pay for the purchase and the interest.
• If the merchant replies to you or refunds you during the dispute, tell the bank right away so that the same amount is not refunded twice.
• The outcome is decided under the dispute rules of card networks such as Visa and Mastercard.
• If you report fraud, CIBC will cancel the card and send you a new one. So do not report something you bought yourself as fraud.

Ask the bank these things: how much of your statement you need to pay during the dispute, how the due date works, and what other documents they need. Do not stop paying your whole statement on your own.

If your bank delays its answer on your dispute or you disagree with the result, you can make a formal complaint to the bank and then go to OBSI; for the steps and time limits, see section 11 of Guide No. 31, Card fraud and scam transfers. If something you paid for by debit card has a problem, see section 10 of the same guide.

Debit cards, Interac e-Transfer, gift cards and third-party payment services (such as PayPal). The rules are different from credit cards; do not assume the same rules apply.

Related: if there is a charge on your card for something you never bought, that is fraud; see Guide No. 31, Card fraud and scam transfers.

12. Buying from U.S. or other foreign websites: duties, taxes, brokerage fees and getting taxes back after a return

Who collects what. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) collects duties and taxes on imported goods for the federal government, including goods bought online. Most imported goods are subject to the federal GST (Goods and Services Tax), and B.C.'s PST (Provincial Sales Tax) may be collected at the same time: the CBSA has an agreement with the province to collect it on the province's behalf.

Below what amount you pay nothing. All amounts are in Canadian dollars, based on the value for duty:

• There are exceptions to both the mail and the courier thresholds. The $20 exemption for mail does not include tobacco, books, periodicals and magazines, or alcohol, and does not include goods ordered through a mailbox or an intermediary in Canada. The courier thresholds do not include alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, vaping products and some books and periodicals; they also cannot be used for goods bought from a Canadian retailer and shipped to you directly from abroad, goods ordered through an address, mailbox or phone number in Canada, or goods where the recipient is not the person who ordered them (sections 2 and 3 of the federal Courier Imports Remission Order).
• Gifts sent to you from abroad by family or friends, with a card enclosed saying it is a gift, are duty- and tax-free up to $60; for a gift worth more than $60, you pay on the part above $60. Items sent by a business do not count as gifts. The $60 gift exemption and the $20 mail exemption cannot be combined.
• Declare truthfully. The CBSA states that all goods imported into Canada must be declared truthfully. Do not ask the seller to write a lower value, or to declare something you bought as a gift, to pay less tax.

From September 8, 2026: counter-tariff surtaxes on some U.S.-made goods. The CBSA states that, in response to U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, Canada is applying surtaxes of 15%, 25% or 50% on some U.S.-made goods, and they apply to goods bought by individuals too; even small packages that pay no duties or taxes under the table above still pay the surtax. Whether goods count as "made in the U.S." depends on whether they are marked as made in the U.S.; goods sent from another country that are marked as made in the U.S. also count. To see which goods are on the list, check the Department of Finance Canada list (link below). The Department of Finance says this list is for information only; the official list is in the Schedules to the United States Surtax Order (2026).

A website ending in .ca does not mean the goods are in Canada. The CBSA points out that things bought from a .ca website may also be shipped from abroad, and may still be subject to duties, taxes and brokerage fees.

Brokerage fees are not charged by the government. Both the Office of Consumer Affairs and the CBSA say that brokerage fees, customs clearance fees and handling fees charged by courier companies and customs brokers are charged by private companies, not government taxes; the government does not regulate how these are charged, and sometimes the bill is only sent after delivery. Ask how much will be charged before you order. Some online stores require a particular courier or customs broker, stated in their terms of purchase; if you do not want to pay this service fee, you can buy from another store.

If it comes by courier, you can clear it yourself and save the service fee. The CBSA states that for personal goods sent by courier, you can choose to go to a CBSA office yourself to pay the duties and taxes, which may save you some of the fees. How it works: refuse the delivery and tell the courier you will pay at a CBSA office yourself; bring the tracking number, the commercial invoice (receipt) and identification to a CBSA office that offers customs services to the public; get the official CBSA receipt, give it to the courier, and then arrange delivery.

If it comes by mail, look at the E14 form. Mail that is subject to duties and taxes has an E14 form (CBSA Postal Import Form) attached, showing how much you owe. Canada Post also charges a handling fee; it does not charge one if no duties or taxes are owed. If you think the amount is wrong, you have two options:

• refuse the package and ask Canada Post to return it to the CBSA for a new assessment; the CBSA will contact you;
• pay and accept it first, then fill in Form B2G to request an adjustment (Form B2G is printed on the back of the first copy of the E14).

Getting the duties and taxes back after returning goods to a foreign seller. The CBSA calls this a "casual refund". The conditions: the goods are for your own use, not for resale or business; you paid duties and taxes; and your documents are complete.

If you returned the goods to a foreign seller, attach these:

• the seller's original sales receipt, showing the purchase date, the value and quantity of the goods, and the amount and method of payment;
• a copy of the customs documents: for mail, the E14; for courier, the courier receipt with the CBSA transaction number;
• the seller's credit note, showing the refund date, the value and quantity of the goods, and the amount and method of the refund;
• proof that you paid the duties and taxes;
• proof that the goods have left Canada: for example, a document from the seller stating that the goods were returned abroad, or courier or postal tracking showing delivery to an address outside Canada. The CBSA states that a tracking number alone is not enough; you need the packing slip and a printed copy of the official tracking history.

Before you send it back, ask the seller to confirm in writing which country and which address it should go to; do not just send it to any warehouse printed on the package.

Three things to watch for:

• Some companies only keep tracking history online for a limited time. The CBSA suggests taking screenshots when you send it.
• If the seller asks you to send it to a sorting centre in Canada, you also need the seller to provide proof stating that the same goods were shipped out of Canada.
• The CBSA does not refund: claims of $2 or less, brokerage fees, shipping costs or handling fees. For brokerage fees and shipping costs, ask the courier or customs broker. Canada Post's handling fee is only refunded if the goods should have been duty- and tax-free in the first place, the request is approved, and all the duties and taxes are refunded.

How to apply. Fill in Form B2G (CBSA Informal Adjustment Request), sign it (a secure electronic signature is allowed), attach the customs documents and the documents above, and mail it to the casual refund centre for your region. At present only mailed requests are accepted, not online requests; if you cannot mail it because of a disability, contact the refund centre to ask what to do. If your postal code starts with V or Y (B.C. and Yukon), send it to the Pacific Region centre:

Vancouver (Pacific Region) Casual Refund Centre
300 – 5940 Ferguson Road, Richmond, BC V7B 0B4
Phone 604-666-6323 | Email refunds.pac-vancouver@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

Time limits.

• Goods that came by mail or that you brought in yourself: to change the tariff classification, value for duty or origin, within 1 year from the date of import; for other reasons, within 4 years from the date of import.
• Goods that came by courier: within 4 years from the date of import.
• Perishable goods that are defective or of poor quality: within 3 days after import.

How long it takes. The CBSA's service standard is 30 business days after it receives all the documents; once approved, a federal government cheque is mailed to you, which may take 4 to 6 weeks.

An example. You buy a jacket from a U.S. website with a value for duty of $120 (Canadian), shipped by courier from the U.S. Under the CBSA's table, this falls in the range with no duties but with taxes; if the jacket is marked as made in the U.S. and is on the surtax list, you also pay the surtax. It does not fit, so you send it back to the U.S. and the business refunds the price. With the original receipt, the courier receipt, the business's credit note, proof that you paid the taxes and screenshots of the tracking showing it left Canada, you fill in Form B2G and mail it to the centre in Richmond to ask for the taxes back. The CBSA does not refund the brokerage fee; ask the courier about that.

The foreign seller ignores you. The Office of Consumer Affairs suggests you can report it at econsumer.gov; this website is run by the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network, mainly to help enforcement agencies in different countries spot trends and fight fraud.

13. False pricing and fake online stores

If you cannot pay the advertised price, the law treats it as false or misleading. Section 74.01 (1.1) of the federal Competition Act (section 52 (1.3) has the same wording) states that a price that cannot be paid because of additional fixed, mandatory charges is a false or misleading representation; only amounts the government charges by law (such as taxes) are excluded. This practice is called "drip pricing": a low price is shown first, and then "handling fees", "service fees" and "booking fees" are added one by one at checkout.

The "regular price" cannot be just any number. Subsections (2) and (3) of the same section: when a business advertises "regular price X, now Y", that regular price must either be a price at which a substantial volume of the product was actually sold (at that price or higher) within a reasonable period before or after the advertisement, or a price at which the product was offered for sale in good faith (at that price or higher) for a substantial period of time recently. The federal Competition Bureau also reminds businesses not to treat the "manufacturer's suggested retail price" as the "usual selling price".

What the Competition Bureau can and cannot do. The Competition Bureau's complaint form states that it is not a consumer protection agency, cannot get your money back for you, and cannot mediate disputes between you and a business. If you think a business's pricing is deceptive, you can complain to help them investigate; to get money back, you still need to follow the steps in the earlier sections. The Competition Bureau Information Centre's toll-free number is 1-800-348-5358, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time, closed from 12 noon to 1 p.m. (in B.C. time: in winter, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., closed from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.; in summer, 5 a.m. to 1 p.m., closed from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.).

How to recognize a fake online store. The signs the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre lists:

• discounts that are far too deep, such as 80% off; labels such as "Today Only" or "Limited Time Offer";
• a website that looks exactly like the real manufacturer's, but has no customer service phone number or email;
• warnings already posted online by other people;
• spelling mistakes, and the product referred to as "the item";
• the seller's social media accounts are newly created;
• you got there by clicking a paid ad on a platform such as Facebook or Instagram.

How to protect yourself.

• know roughly what the item is worth first;
• before you buy, find and verify the seller's address, phone number and email;
• read reviews on third-party websites;
• use a payment method with fraud protection, such as a credit card;
• when you can deal in person, pick up the item and pay in person.

If you bought counterfeit goods. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says counterfeit goods are of poor quality and may pose serious health and safety risks (they have found bacteria and mould in counterfeit jackets), and recommends destroying them or returning them to the seller.

If you were scammed, do this. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre recommends:

1. keep all documents, receipts, emails and text messages;
2. tell the bank or financial institution that sent the money;
3. report it to the police and get a file number;
4. report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: online at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca, where you can report anonymously; or by phone at 1-888-495-8501, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time, closed on holidays (in B.C. time: in winter, 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.; in summer, 7 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.);
5. click "report" on that website (Report Abuse, Report an Ad) to tell the website administrator.

Even if you were not taken in and only came across it, the Anti-Fraud Centre asks you to report it too.

Consumer Protection BC does not handle scams. Its complaint page states that it cannot help with scams, poor customer service, or buying and repairing vehicles. If a fake online store scammed you, go to the Anti-Fraud Centre and the police as above; if you paid by credit card, contact your bank at the same time.

Why winter and summer are different. Starting November 1, 2026, B.C. no longer turns its clocks back and uses Pacific Time (UTC-7) all year; the East still changes its clocks, so the difference in hours between the two changes: 2 hours in winter and 3 hours in summer. Winter means the months when the East is on standard time, from the first Sunday in November to the second Sunday in March of the following year; the rest of the year is summer. In northeastern B.C. (around Fort St. John and Fort Nelson), the clocks are the same as in the rest of B.C. A few places in southeastern B.C. (such as Cranbrook, Fernie, Golden and Invermere) follow Alberta all year (UTC-6); if you live there, to convert Eastern Time to local time, subtract 1 hour in winter and 2 hours in summer.

Related: for how to check your credit report and add a fraud alert, see sections 2 and 3 of Guide No. 34, Protecting your credit; if someone has used your card number to make charges, see Guide No. 31, Card fraud and scam transfers.

14. The business still will not respond: escalate in writing, complain, small claims

1. Write to the person in charge. The Office of Consumer Affairs suggests: if your first attempt does not work, write a letter or email to the general manager, president or owner, attach copies of your documents, state what you want, and give a reasonable deadline (their sample letter says 10 business days is usually enough). If you bought through a platform, use its formal after-sales or buyer protection channel, and check the deadlines for filing and for adding documents. At the same time, ask your card-issuing bank about its deadlines, so that you do not miss other options because the seller keeps saying "please wait a little longer" every week.

2. Complain to Consumer Protection BC. It enforces B.C.'s rules on online purchases (distance sales contracts), and also handles deceptive practices (false statements, hiding information, confusing wording) and unconscionable practices (taking advantage of people). Before you complain, you must:

• first try to resolve it directly with the business;
• complete the steps on its web page: for online purchases, send a notice of cancellation first; if the business does not refund you and you paid by credit card, go to the credit card company first (section 11);
• have your documents ready, since you will upload them when you complain.
• You file the complaint online: on Consumer Protection BC's complaint page (link below), click "Start your complaint" and answer the questions step by step; you upload your documents as part of the form. If your issue is outside what it handles, you may be redirected to another page.

It decides whether to open a file based on the facts, the law and the level of risk, focusing on matters that cause serious harm, involve many people or affect vulnerable people; not every complaint becomes a file, and some are referred to a more suitable agency, court or tribunal. Its office is not open to the public. Call 1-888-564-9963 and press 1 to leave a message; they do not answer calls, and a call back may take a few days. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

3. Make a small claim at the B.C. Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT). The CRT handles most small claims of $5,000 or less, including disputes about buying and selling goods and about contracts.

• Start with its Solution Explorer: it is free and anonymous, asks you a few simple questions, tells you about the law and what you can do, and has letter templates; if you want to start a claim, it will give you the right online application form.
• Fees: online, $75 for claims of $3,000 or less and $125 for claims of $3,001 or more ($100 and $150 if you submit the form by email or by mail); if you want a tribunal member to make a final decision, another $50. If the case is resolved by agreement, the application fee can be refunded. Low-income individuals can apply to have the fees waived.
• Because there are so many applications right now, the CRT says reviewing applications and issuing the Dispute Notice may take several months.
• If you are making a claim against a company, you need a contact person for that company.
• CRT phone: 1-844-322-2292 (toll-free in North America), Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific Time.
• If the seller is in another province or another country, or the amount is higher, first find out whether you can make the claim here (the Solution Explorer helps you sort this out), and ask a lawyer if needed.

4. Do not miss the limitation period. Section 6 of B.C.'s Limitation Act: for most claims, you must start a lawsuit within 2 years after you discover the problem. The CRT's own law states that the Limitation Act also applies to CRT cases; once you have applied to the CRT, the limitation period stops running. Do not assume the limitation period stops automatically while you wait for customer service to reply or for a complaint to be handled.

5. If you need a lawyer. First check the Law Society of British Columbia's directory to see whether the lawyer is licensed.

Related: for how to prepare before calling government offices and other organizations, see Guide No. 7, Phone directory.

15. Letters you can adapt and send

Replace the parts in square brackets with your own situation, and only write what really happened. If you are cancelling under the law, use the official forms in sections 4 and 9 first; the letters below can be sent with the form as a covering note, or sent on their own. After sending, keep the record that you sent it.

1. Marked as delivered, but not received

2. Not delivered after 30 days: cancelling the order

3. Wrong item or missing items

4. The item is broken or does not match the description

5. Sent back, but not refunded yet

6. Explaining a merchant dispute to your card-issuing bank

7. Asking the credit card company to reverse a charge under section 52 of the B.C. law

When you call, you could start like this:

• To the business: "Hi, I'm calling about order number ___. It's marked as delivered, but I haven't received it. Could you send me the proof of delivery?"
• To the bank: "Hi, I'd like to dispute a charge on my credit card. I authorized the purchase, but the merchant hasn't refunded me after I cancelled. What's your dispute process and deadline?"

Tips for writing (from People's Law School and the Office of Consumer Affairs): be firm, polite and factual; make it clear that you know your rights and what outcome you want; if someone agrees to something on the phone, ask for their name, and then send an email putting what you agreed in writing.

16. Buying in another province, buying used goods from individuals, and some special kinds of purchases

B.C.'s time limits and forms do not apply across Canada. Before you ask an organization, first make clear: which province you were in when you bought it, where the seller is, the date you ordered, what you bought, and how you paid. Whether the web address ends in .ca does not tell you which law will apply in the end, or how easy it will be to get your money back.

When buying used goods from an individual, the hand-over can also happen at a post office. Canada Post is trialling a service called Swap Spot at some post offices in four areas: Greater Vancouver, Calgary, Hamilton and Ottawa-Gatineau. The seller drops the item off at the post office the two sides agreed on, the buyer picks it up at the same post office, and the post office can collect the payment at the counter; the seller pays a $5 service fee, plus tax, at drop-off. The post office does not inspect the item or mediate disputes, and if the buyer finds a problem after taking the item away, the buyer has to sort it out with the seller. Victoria is not among the areas listed on the website. For how to use it and what it costs, common scams when buying and selling used items online, and how to make in-person exchanges safer, see Guide No. 61.

→ No. 61 · Canada Post Swap Spot

Related: for cancellation fees and complaints about cellphone plans and home Internet contracts, see sections 5, 7 and 12 of Guide No. 29, New rules for cellphones and home Internet.

17. Checklist before you act

After something goes wrong:

• You have written down who the seller is (the platform itself or a third party), the order number, the date you ordered and the delivery date in the contract.
• You have taken screenshots of the order page, the product description, the delivery method and the return policy.
• Package not delivered: count 30 days from the delivery date (from the order date if no delivery date was stated), and send the notice of cancellation before the goods arrive.
• Marked delivered but not received: you have looked everywhere, checked whether you agreed to have it left at the door, and asked the seller for proof of delivery.
• No copy of the contract: if you have not received it within 15 days after ordering, send the notice of cancellation within 30 days.
• Contract missing required information or inconsistent: send the notice of cancellation within 7 days after receiving the contract.
• The notice of cancellation was sent by email, fax or registered mail, says that you are cancelling and why, and the record of sending it is saved.
• After cancelling, wait up to 15 days for the business's return instructions; keep proof when you send it back; the refund arrives within 15 days.
• The business does not refund you and you paid by credit card: if you cancelled for late delivery or no copy of the contract, request a reversal under section 52; in other cases, use your bank's own dispute process; do not report your own purchase as fraud.
• Broken item: tell the seller in writing right away; if there is a safety problem, stop using it first.
• Just do not want it: follow the business's policy, and check the time limit and shipping costs.
• Bought from abroad and returned it: keep the customs documents, the business's credit note and screenshots of the tracking showing it left Canada, and apply for the tax refund by mailing Form B2G.
• Still not resolved: write to the person in charge; complain to Consumer Protection BC; go to the CRT for $5,000 or less; do not miss the 2-year limitation period.

Before your next online purchase, take one minute to check four things: who the seller is; when and how it will be delivered (handed to you or left at the door); how returns work and who pays the shipping; and when the platform's buyer protection ends. For expensive items, ask about the delivery method and the return address before you order.

Related guides

• → No. 2 · First 90 days
  What to do in your first week, first month and first three months in Canada: your SIN, MSP, a bank account and a phone number, in order.
• → No. 31 · Card fraud and scam transfers
  A charge on your card that you did not make, or a scam transfer: how much you may be responsible for with a credit card and with a debit card, what to do in the first hour, and how to escalate your complaint step by step if the bank will not pay you back.
• → No. 34 · Protecting your credit
  How to check your two credit reports for free, how to add a fraud alert if your ID is lost, and B.C.'s free credit freeze from August 2027.
• → No. 7 · Phone directory
  How to prepare before calling government offices and other organizations, and what to do if you cannot get through.
• → No. 29 · New rules for cellphones and home Internet
  Cellphones and home Internet: the new rules on activation fees, cancelling a cellphone or home Internet service, switching providers, and going to your provider first and then to the CCTS when a bill is wrong.
• → No. 49 · Checking and disputing your bills
  How to check and dispute bills that seem too high (power, gas, water, credit card, medical, parking tickets), and what to do about collection calls.
• → No. 54 · Right to repair
  Fixing things yourself or at an outside repair shop: what the federal "right to repair" (Bill C-244) does and does not cover, what to do when a manufacturer will not supply parts, whether you are still covered after taking something apart, and where to go with a repair dispute in B.C.
• → No. 61 · Canada Post Swap Spot
  Canada Post's Swap Spot, for handing over used items at a post office: how to use it, what it costs and where it is available; common scams when buying and selling used items online, how to make in-person exchanges safer, and who to contact if something goes wrong.
• → No. 62 · Starlink: signing up and whether it is worth it
  Changing a Starlink order within a few hours of ordering, returning the equipment within 30 days for a full refund (shipping is not refunded), returning store-bought equipment to the store, and how long refunds take.
• → No. 73 · Canada Post's switch to community mailboxes
  Canada Post's switch to community mailboxes: whether and when your home will change; afterwards, how to collect a package from a parcel compartment, and where packages go if they do not fit or need a signature (section 8); and what to do about lost keys or a frozen lock.

Main official links in this guide

Below are all the web addresses that appear in this guide: the first 22 are the ones used most, and the rest follow in the order they appear in the guide. The pages of Consumer Protection BC, the original text of the laws on the B.C. Laws website, and the pages of the Office of Consumer Affairs, the CBSA, Canada Post, the federal Competition Bureau, the Department of Finance Canada, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, the CRT, the home page of the Recalls and Safety Alerts database and the report page that its "Submit a report" link leads to, and others were all opened and read on November 3, 2026; for reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca, econsumer.gov and the Law Society of British Columbia directory, we only confirmed that they open; for the CCTS home page, this guide only gives the link, and we did not read the page. There are a few things we could not check: Consumer Protection BC's five forms are PDF files, and we only confirmed that their links open and when they were uploaded, without opening them to read the contents, so this guide does not say what fields the forms have; we could not find, in B.C.'s Consumer Contracts Regulation, the "prescribed amount" that section 18.3 of the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act refers to; and we did not check the rules of private couriers such as UPS, FedEx and Purolator one by one.