Selling through sharing economy platforms
The sharing economy connects you with users who can buy, hire or lease your products or services via an online platform or marketplace. Uber, Airbnb and Airtasker are examples of the many organisations operating sharing economy platforms.
Platform operators generally perform administrative tasks, such as facilitating payment and managing the operation of the website or app.
The sharing economy offers you and other traders new ways to earn an income. It also benefits consumers by giving them a greater choice and sometimes lower prices.
Australian Consumer Law
If you sell, hire or lease goods and services through an online marketplace or sharing economy platform, you are covered by the Australian Consumer Law. You have all the same rights and obligations to consumers as you would if you were to sell services through a shop front.
You should be aware that even though you are using an online platform, you are responsible for guaranteeing that the services you provide comply with consumer law.
As a trader in the sharing economy, keep in mind that you must:
- be transparent about the product or service you are advertising so there are no surprises to consumers
- comply with product safety obligations
- make sure reviews provided about your service or product are not misleading or fake. You could be engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct if you:
- write a fake review
- ask or pay someone to write a review
- write a false review about a competitor
- hide bad customer reviews.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has produced 2 guides to help you comply with Australia’s competition and consumer protection laws in the sharing economy:
Consumer information
Find out more about sharing economy platforms for consumers.
Sharing economy videos
Watch these videos for tips on how to share fair in the sharing economy and to learn more about Australian Consumer Law.