Despite the bustling e-commerce, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said physical store transactions still account for the bulk of consumer complaints filed with the agency in the January-September period this year than complaints on online store transactions.
Ann Claire C. Cabochan, DTI assistant secretary for consumer protection group, said the agency received a total of 21,406 complaints in the first nine months of the year of which over 12,000 were complaints involving physical store transactions and only 8,960 complaints on online store transactions.
Although online sales complaints are moving up, Cabochan noted that in 2021 DTI had recorded a total of 31,000 consumer complaints and the bulk was still on physical stores although complaints arising from online sales.
Cabochan said that DTI can now run after violations by online sellers and their platforms following a Joint Memorandum Circular with the National Privacy Commission and other government agencies which clarifies that information details of online vendors are not covered by the right to privacy if they are subject to a complaint.
Likewise, the DTI can sanction online platform for failing to provide the information details of their sellers/vendors that are subject of consumer complaints.
In addition, Cabochan said the bulk of consumer complaints involved communications and internet concerns but which have been endorsed by the DTI to the National Telecommunications Commission. Complaints that fell under the purview of the DTI were mostly liability of products and service imperfections, such as product imperfections, defective items, unconscionable sales and warranties issues.
To date, Cabochan said there are an estimated two million e-commerce participants, way above its earlier projection of 750,000.
Cabochan also advised those who have been scammed to file their complaints at the DTI and the Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau where they will undergo a mediation process before elevating to filing of cases if the complainants are not satisfied.
Complainants can email [email protected] or DTI Hotline 1384.