Today is World Consumer Rights Day

Speaking on the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) which is being observed today, the Minister said the WCRD is an opportunity to reinforce the rights and responsibilities of consumers; highlighting market injustices which may seek to undermine these rights.

This year, Gopee- Scoon said in a press release, Consumers International’s (CI) theme for World Consumer Rights Day is “Building a Digital World Consumers Can Trust”.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), through the Consumer Affairs Division (CAD), incorporates the topic “Protecting Consumer Rights in the Digital World” into its ongoing consumer outreach and education initiative.

This arm of the CAD’s education campaign focusses specifically on safeguarding consumer rights and interests in three (3) major areas relating to digital commerce while empowering the consumer to navigate the online arena carefully and responsibly.

“Protecting Consumer Rights in the Digital World” is a tripartite approach that seeks to educate on three key issues potentially faced by consumers who engage in online commerce and offers guidelines on mitigating risks related to these identified issues.

These three focus areas include: Access and Choice; Online Security, and Redress Access and Choice Purchasing goods from the comfort of one’s home is certainly more convenient than driving to a store, while offering a virtually unlimited array of choices and the opportunity to compare prices. Such is the allure of online commerce.

However, there are various issues relating to this seemingly boundless plethora of goods. To address this focal area, the importance of making clear and informed purchasing choices, based on research and proper investigation, must be underscored. This includes the importance of checking online reviews and background information regarding merchants prior to purchase and thoroughly inspecting goods upon receipt; the need to examine and inquire about website purchasing, return and shipping policies, warranties, additional taxes and the use of this information in guiding consumer behaviour.

Online Security In respect of e-commerce and online use as a whole, security and privacy are paramount concerns. Measures to protect against identity theft, fraud and software corruption cannot be ignored.

The MTI’s focus for WCRD seeks to address this issue through the reinforcement of safe internet practices and vigilance such as: Updating security software on all devices – particularly devices on which digital purchases are made; Avoiding the use of generic, singular passwords for all online accounts and profiles; Ensuring use of secure websites; and being proactive and consistently reviewing credit card statements and issuing queries, in a timely manner, if discrepancies are observed.

Redress The final focal area is that of redress. Often, consumers are faced with the anxiety of purchasing from foreign companies or the disappointment of not receiving the item as anticipated or in the desired condition. An informed, responsible and empowered consumer is a strong force with which to reckon. Knowledge of return and refund policies, prior to purchase, is important in order to refer to such policies when dialoguing with merchants.

In this very critical area, the Consumer Affairs Division (CAD) is seeking to improve on the available mechanisms for redress for consumers, including the digital consumer, through enhanced policy and legislation. A revised National Consumer Policy will address consumer well-being through enhanced consumer empowerment and protection.