As it is known, at certain times of the year, especially in November, "Legendary Friday Deals", "Fabulous Friday Deals", "Super Friday Deals" and so on. Discounts are offered at various rates in many product ranges.
With the effect of the COVID-19 epidemic, it is observed that consumers prefer "distance shopping online" because they are easy to access, and they can access products in a wide variety of types and at lower prices without time and place limitations.
However, online shopping can cause misleading discounts, especially on certain special days, disruption in logistics processes due to intensity, sending defective goods by malicious sellers or collecting the price and not sending any goods, not using the right of withdrawal. It is seen that it can cause many victimization.
-The issues that consumers should pay attention to
In this context, our consumers should pay attention to the following issues regarding the distance contracts they will be a party to in order not to be victims and to avoid administrative sanctions by sellers or suppliers:
- Pre-shopping consumers to determine exactly and correctly the goods or services that will meet their needs, and to keep a balance between their budgets and expenditures;
- Contact information about the seller or provider, tax identification number, MERSİS and ETBİS record and, if necessary, complaint platforms and seller / provider customer service, etc. making necessary inquiries from places; Comparing the price of the product offered for sale with the prices of other vendors or suppliers, especially for standard products,
- Checking the security of the seller's website and whether there are options such as SSL certificate, 3D security or virtual card payment, which are secure payment methods for shopping,
- Checking on the address bar that the referral to the website of the seller or provider regarding the websites directed through social media channels is made,
- Checking whether the preliminary information included in the legislation before the payment transaction, including the title of the seller / provider, full address, detailed other contact information, the total amount to be paid for the goods or services, details of the right of withdrawal and the ways to seek remedies,
- Research on the price of the same product in other vendors or suppliers regarding the accuracy of the discounts claimed to be made at very high rates on special days,
On the other hand, in terms of vendors or providers;
- Prior to the conclusion of a distance contract with consumers, in order to meet the legal obligations in the Consumer legislation, the delivery of preliminary information to the consumer through a written or permanent data storage, delivery or performance, use of the right of withdrawal and compliance with the legal periods regarding the refund,
- In the event of the exercise of the right of withdrawal, the consumer is to be refunded in one go, without incurring any costs or obligations,
- It is important to pay attention to the stock and product procurement stages in order not to cause consumer victimization by canceling the paid orders for the goods or services subject to distant sales due to reasons such as not being in stock or not being supplied.
Regarding discounted sales;
- If the starting and ending dates of discounted sales and the amount of goods or services offered for sale with discounts are limited, this amount should be stated clearly and clearly,
In the discounted sales advertisements, the information about the goods or services to be subject to discounted sale is presented together with the discount without causing any confusion, in other words, without misleading the consumers or creating the impression that a discount is applied more than it actually is,
-When calculating the amount or rate of the discount, the price before the discount price should be taken as basis, the seller or the advertiser is responsible for the proof of the discount, and if there is a time and stock limit for the application of the discounted price, it should be clearly stated on the website and advertisements.
In this context, necessary administrative sanctions will be applied in case of detection of contradictions regarding the mentioned issues by our Ministry.
The Advertisement Board, which operates within our Ministry, has also started ex officio investigations regarding special discount days.
Consumers who have lost their rights regarding distance contracts should apply to Consumer Arbitration Committees or Consumer Courts, taking into account their monetary limits, in order to resolve their disputes.
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