The Ministry of Economy has warned celebrities and social media celebrities of wrong business practices such as unjustifiably raising prices, practicing commercial fraud, and violating the Consumer Protection Law and its executive regulation, stressing that these practices require closing the pages of these celebrities immediately after verifying the violation.
Consumers have confirmed that some celebrities «social networking», are using their pages to promote goods and services at prices higher than the real price by up to 40%, calling it «commercial fraud».
They called on the competent authorities to censor these celebrities, considering that what they practice is a commercial activity that must be monitored, and advised consumers not to imitate without thinking or comparisons, and read impartial comments about the goods and services offered by these celebrities.
Price increase
In detail, consumer Saif Obaid said that he decided to buy a watch, after a famous social networking sites displayed on his own page, and talked about its unique features, and put up its own videos.
He confirmed that he bought the watch for 499 dirhams, but later discovered that its real price in the local market is 299 dirhams, that is, he paid a price increase of 40% over its real value.
Obaid said that some celebrities «social networking» are exploiting their fame and pages to promote goods at prices higher than the real price, demanding the supervision of the competent authorities on these celebrities, as they are engaged in commercial activity directly or indirectly.
Great exaggeration
For her part, consumer Nora Salem Al Shamsi said that she bought a bag of women and a collection of jewelry for 1,250 dirhams, after the promotion of a famous social networking, but was surprised that what she bought sold for 870 dirhams in the local market shops, at a price below 30%, pointing to the exaggeration of some Celebrities when describing an item or product are not true.
Al-Shamsi confirmed that she stopped buying many goods offered by celebrities and celebrities «social networking», in addition to making intensive comparisons to verify the quality of these goods and prices, agreeing the need for control over these celebrities, and the goods they promote.
Tradition and brag
The consumer, Nora Talal, said that she bought a set of household items and accessories for interior decoration, after she was impressed by the talk of a celebrity «social networking» about these products on his personal page, but she discovered the existence of exaggerated prices up to 40%, in addition to the presence of similar products, Probably better in terms of price and quality in the shops. She pointed out that the desire to imitate celebrities, and «brag» buying products they use, behind the rush to buy without scrutiny.
Commercial fraud
In the same context, consumer Samir Abdul Samad said that he followed a video of a celebrity «social», reviewing the quality of service and food in a new restaurant, and when he visited the restaurant discovered that the quality is not as shown in the video, as well as a large difference in the size of the meal, asking consumers Not to imitate without thinking or making comparisons, and to read neutral comments, as he called for censorship of social media celebrities, considering what some of them practiced «commercial fraud».
Close the pages
For his part, warned the Director of Consumer Protection at the Ministry of Economy, Dr. Hashim Al-Naimi, from social media celebrities wrong business practices and contrary to the law of consumer protection and its executive regulations, such as unjustified price increases and the practice of commercial fraud.
He stressed that the conduct of these practices requires the closure of the pages of these celebrities immediately, after verification of the violation through examination and investigation.
Al-Naimi called on consumers to be careful and not to buy any goods or services, except after making comparisons between price levels and quality, stressing the importance of activating the initiative «consumer observer», and send complaints to the Ministry of Economy in case of irregularities.
Emirates Consumer Protection: Celebrities communicate high-priced items
The Chairman of the Emirates Consumer Protection Association (EPA), Mohammed Khalifa bin Uzair Al Muhairi, said that EPA has recently observed companies and merchants resorting to some social media celebrities who have a significant presence to market goods to attract as many shoppers as possible and make profits. .
Al-Muhairi added that many goods are sold through social networking sites at prices much higher than their value in the local market, stressing the need to stay away from emotional shopping, and the desire to imitate celebrities communicate, pointing out that emotional buying is often the result of losing money in things Not useful, falling into the trap of buying items at more than their price.
Al-Muhairi called on consumers to check the price of the commodity on social media in local markets before buying, pointing out that these celebrities are paid for displaying or promoting goods and services.
Some of these celebrities are buying the merchandise they are selling from local markets at reasonable prices, for resale at double prices, which can be described as an open exploitation of the consumer.