The internet opens up a whole host of opportunities for new ventures, including the chance to increase visibility and secure new business. However, doing business online is a heavily regulated area which means careful planning is required, particularly where you will be selling direct to the public. In this article, we look at the five key things you need to consider when selling online to consumers.

When a commercial dispute arises, there will usually be a mad-dash to find out what happened and who is to blame. Very often determining this will involve going back through a whole host of documents, some of which may be easy to lay your hands on and some of which may not. Having systems in place which ensure that documentation relevant to a particular project or client is easily identifiable and retrievable is crucial in the bringing or defending of commercial claims.

The collapse of Carillion proves that no business is immune from the risk of failure and highlights the need to be vigilant when dealing with business customers, irrespective of their size and the length of time you have been dealing with them. Commercial pressures may mean that you have little power when it comes to dictating the terms on which you do business, but there are steps you can take to protect your position if things go wrong.

When a dispute arises in the context of a business it will usually stem from a known risk, such as a customer not paying, an employee setting up in competition or a supplier breaching the terms of their contract. Identifying and effectively managing the risks posed to your business can seriously reduce the likelihood of disputes arising and can ensure that, where problems do occur, the damage caused is minimal.

Picture the scene. You have just fired a rogue consultant who has set up in competition with you in breach of a restraint of trade clause in their consultancy contract. Added to this, they have taken a copy of your customer list which they have been using to tout for business. They have also been claiming falsely that you dispensed of their services unfairly because of concerns they raised about health and safety issues. What can you do? Issue a claim at court for compensation for breach of contract? Report the theft to the police? Yes, but that is not…

JPP Law looks at the ten most common mistakes business owners make when it comes to tackling debtors, and advises on the best course of action.

Disputes are an unfortunate fact of life but with the right support they can very often be resolved quickly and relatively cheaply, without the need for court action. JPP Law explains how, by taking legal advice at an early stage, you can increase your chances of achieving settlement without the need for the court to become involved.

A landlord faced with a tenant who is not paying their rent has two options: take steps to end the lease or try to recover the money owed. If you decide to recover the rent you might find the commercial rent arrears recovery scheme a good option.

New rules on the procedure businesses must follow when trying to collect debts from individual customers could mean that you have to wait 90 days or more before you can issue court proceedings. To limit the damage this may cause to your cash flow it is important to review your credit control procedures now before the new rules come into force on 1 October 2017.

Commercial contracts often contain clauses which seek to limit the liability of one party if a breach of contract occurs. It is important to understand how limitation of liability clauses work and in what circumstances this type of provision may be unlikely to be enforceable in the event of a dispute.