EBay purchases aren't covered under California consumer protection laws, court says

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rules that online sellers who don't specifically aim to sell to Californians are not subject to state law. By Carol J. Williams, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer California consumers are not protected by the state's consumer protection laws when something they buy on EBay turns out to be less than advertised, a federal appeals court ruled today. In the latest judicial message of "buyer beware" in Internet shopping, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said a federal district court in Northern California properly decided it didn't have jurisdiction to require a Wisconsin classic car seller to abide by this state's consumer protection laws. The dispute began three years ago when Paul Boschetto of San Francisco offered the winning $34,106 bid for a 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 XL auctioned by... [read full story]