Online transactions triggering new consumer complaints
Published:Monday | July 31, 2023 | 12:07 AMChristopher Serju/Senior Gleaner Writer
Online sales which hit a high during the COVID-19 pandemic, and other innovations including digital transactions, are throwing up more challenges for the Consumer Affairs Commission (CAC).
Some of the challenges the commission is not yet equipped to address, due to current legislation not being adequate to tackle the concerns, according to communication specialist Dorothy Campbell.
“It doesn’t get easier because what happens is that, as you go through the innovations and the new modelling of businesses and so on, there are different issues that arise from those innovations in terms of technology. New models of business in terms of home deliveries for foods and services and so on. Different issues arise from all these new businesses that come about, so it may appear that consumers are more educated when you see the numbers (of complaints resolved) but we have new issues and so persons are asking different questions,” she shared with The Gleaner recently.
Policymakers are moving to put legislation in place, in anticipation of some of the emerging issues, hence the Data Protection Act and other pieces of relevant legislation, as new issues pop up.
“We are dealing with people who are seeking resolution for issues that they have completed online, whether it’s their insurance policies, verification of banking balance, different things. Because, as we go digital, persons are seeking more to understand where their rights expand and not just to the physical brick and mortar space as in face-to face-transactions but where their rights expand where digital transactions are concerned,” Campbell explained.
Seeking partnerships
“So that’s a challenge for us, as well, as the global consumer protection movement is also having to meet and engage with governments in order to understand how we can amend our different legislations to increase the protection for consumers as we expand the digital platform.”
The communications specialist pointed out that the CAC is constantly seeking to establish partnerships in its ongoing effort to educate consumers as well as vendors about their respective rights and responsibilities.
“We recently had a booth at the Wolmer’s Boys’ School which gave us an opportunity to speak to hundreds of vendors and patrons in order to boost the education of consumers in Jamaica and that’s why we were also at the Jamaica Expo. We are always seeking new opportunities and, of course, we are still engaged in the schools – tertiary and primary and high schools.”