Consumers demanded that e-commerce companies be required to have the goods that they receive during e-shopping as mentioned in the promotional advertisement, identical to the pictures accompanying it, with fines imposed on the violating companies.
And they showed «Emirates Today» their experiences with e-shopping companies that refused to provide them with important parts of the devices they bought, as they are not an integral part of the commodity, according to those companies, and that they must be purchased separately, considering that it harms the trust factor between the consumer and those sites.
And two officials in the field of electronic selling acknowledged that problems with consumers due to the missing parts, pointing out that the presence of some parts of the commodity on the cover, and in advertising images, does not mean that they are authentic pieces of the commodity, but rather to alert the consumer to the possibility of adding them, but their price is separate and not part of the commodity .
In turn, the Ministry of Economy stressed that the merchant is obligated to deliver to the consumer the pieces on the cover and in promotional advertisements for the commodity, calling on consumers to verify before receiving the commodity that all its parts are available.
Consumer complaints
In detail, the consumer Mohammed Al-Mansoori said that he bought an electronic game that includes eight pieces from an electronic shopping site for 2000 dirhams, but discovered upon receipt that a major piece in the cover image of the game was not included in the pieces.
He added that he communicated with the company, which initially insisted that what he received was the entire pieces of the game, and that the piece in the promotional image and on the cover of the game is not within the game, and he must buy it separately.
He continued: "I refused that, and I was insisting that the piece is part of the game, and when I assured the company that I will make a formal complaint, I agreed to supply the missing piece for free and consider it part of the game."
Al-Mansouri called on the concerned authorities to compel e-shopping companies to clearly state the number and specifications of any game's pieces, and that the pieces pictured on the cover and in the promotional advertisement be completely identical to the pieces inside the box, with fines imposed on non-compliant companies.
In turn, the consumer, Amina Taher, said that she bought an electrical device from an online shopping website, and was surprised that there was no piece of the device, even though it was included in the promotional advertisement of the item and on the cover.
She emphasized that the company refused her request to provide it with the piece, and insisted on selling it separately at an additional price, which she did, but at a high price, agreeing to the necessity of requiring e-shopping companies to state the number of parts and their specifications clearly, and to impose penalties or impose fines if they do not adhere to this. She emphasized the importance of the confidence factor when shopping online between a consumer and those sites.
In the same context, the consumer, Reza Al Sharnoubi, presented his experience, saying that he had a bad experience with an electronic shopping company, for a period of weeks, after he bought a home appliance, and later discovered that he was missing a major piece that added a lot to the capabilities of the device, if any.
He stressed that the company absolutely refused to provide him with the piece, as it is separate and at a special price, and not included in the original price, calling for preserving consumer rights when shopping online.
Complementary parts
In addition, a representative of a company working in the field of electronic selling, "C.J.," said that some of the commodity pieces are present on the cover, and in promotional advertising images, but not as an authentic piece of the commodity, but rather to show the uses of the commodity in detail, pointing out that it is Additional parts that are purchased separately, in the event that the consumer wants to try it with the commodity as an integral part, and not as original.
In turn, the official at an online shopping company, Daren Hamza, acknowledged that there were problems with consumers during the past period, because of what she said was perceived by consumers that there are missing parts included in the price, and they were not delivered within the commodity.
And she continued: «The piece may be present on the cover or within promotional images, in order to alert the consumer to the possibility of adding it, but its price is separate and not part of the commodity, and it is not paid within the price of the paid commodity», pointing to the presence of companies that sometimes refuse to provide the consumer with the additional part, especially If he requests it after the commodity is officially received.
Merchant responsibility
In the same context, the Director of the Consumer Protection Department at the Ministry of Economy, Dr. Hashem Al-Nuaimi, said that the merchant is obliged to deliver to the consumer the pieces in the promotional advertising pictures and on the cover, and that the pieces that he receives are identical to those on the cover and in the promotional advertising images so that no confusion occurs. The consumer has or is misled.
Al-Nuaimi asked consumers to ensure that all parts of the commodity are available before receiving them, based on the agreement with the supplier, that there is a match between what the e-trader mentioned and what he receives, and that the merchant sold the commodity in accordance with the agreement.
The director of the Consumer Protection Department warned that the consumer's signature on the receipt of the commodity means that the merchant is discharged, and that the commodity complies with the consumer's request.
He added: "One of the main problems in electronic commerce is that some consumers do not verify the availability of all parts before receipt, and they sign the receipt before checking the good."
Circumvention
The Chairman of the Emirates Consumer Protection Association, Mohamed Khalifa bin Uzair Al Muhairi, stressed the need for caution and caution when shopping online, and that the consumer possesses awareness and know-how to reach his full right.
Al-Muhairi stressed the importance of matching promotional images to the specifications of the commodity received by the consumer, while ensuring his full right to return or reject it if it does not meet the required specifications.
He added: "Unfortunately, we may find fraudulent operations during the electronic sale, such as the arrival of goods other than what the consumer requested, and here he must keep the bills, to ensure what is called the right of safety, which is to return it in case it violates the required specifications."
Al-Muhairi also called for the necessity of ascertaining the quality of the commodity and its specifications before receiving it, and in the event of any suspicion of fraud, to submit a complaint to the authorities concerned with electronic commerce, stressing that the management of the association is concerned with all complaints that can be reached in this regard.
Al-Muhairi called on consumers to avoid unknown names in the world of e-commerce.
Officials selling: the presence of some pieces of the item on the cover is an alert that it can be added, but the price is separate.