Ignat Arsenov, Executive Director of the European Consumer Centre Bulgaria: In 2011 complaints by foreigners about online purchases increased

08/17/11 15:54
(http://www.klassa.bg/)

Ignat Arsenov, Executive Director of the European Consumer Centre Bulgaria: In 2011 complaints by foreigners about online purchases increased

- Mr. Arsenov, what are the most serious complaints at the height of the summer season?
- Most people complain about delays and cancellations of flights as well as about leasing cars. The cases related to online purchases carried out both by Bulgarians in another country and by foreigners via Bulgarian online sites are less common. Our statistics show that when foreigners complain from Bulgarian traders, in about 90% of the cases this is not related to travels to Bulgaria. Their complaints are mostly associated with purchases of goods via Internet sites (clothes, cosmetics, shoes).

Most of the complaints are coming from Bulgarians, but since 2010 claims from foreigners have also increased, especially those, associated with sites offering cosmetics. We have been able to resolve them successfully, so far. When there is a problem, Bulgarian traders cooperate even more than their foreign colleagues. We also receive complaints about the Bulgarian airlines, submitted by foreigners, but their number is insignificant, compared to the total amount.

- What is the proportion of the cases that you are able to resolve successfully?
- Our work is entirely based on the good will of the traders, since we are not a public authority entitled to impose penalties or to prohibit their activities. Our statistics from last year showed that we addressed successfully some 47% of the cases. However, we were not able to resolve 42% of the complaints. The rest of the claims were forwarded to other administrations. In Europe, the average number of resolved cases exceeds 50%. This means that that the applied method of negotiating is efficient. Last year, we were able to reimburse the total of BGN 48,000 to customers in amounts that traders had returned or paid as compensation to them. This year, the results will be even better.

- What is the most important thing to bear in mind when travelling abroad, so that we don’t end up submitting complaints?
- People often do not know their rights. They must keep their receipts and guarantees. We should first take an interest as to what our fundamental rights are in the country of our destination. There was one case with a flight, which was delayed by a whole night. People were sent to a hotel, where there were no free rooms. Nobody knew that he/she was entitled to accommodation so as to go to another hotel and just preserving the bills and invoice, nor did people know they could buy some food at the expense of the air carrier. Cases whereby we are not able to get in touch with the trader, take the longest. It comes down to goods, purchased via the Internet from dealers, mainly in England, France, Spain, Germany. Many times, the police has had to intervene and it would turns out that such a trader does not exist. These cases often remain unsolved.

According to legislative regulations, all traders registered in the EU are obliged to publish their data on the Internet. Customers may return the purchased goods within seven days and in some countries within a longer term, simply because they have changed their mind. Traders are obliged to return the money back, but the delivery costs are at the expense of consumers. If the product does not answer to what we have ordered, the costs for the return of the money or the delivery of a new product is at the expense of the trader. Usually, when people shop online and pay by credit cards, they should make sure that on the top of the Internet browser the website itself should be marked as HTPS. This means that it is secure and additionally protected.

In about 10% of the unsolved cases, customers’ claims are groundless. A man had submitted a claim for a cancelled flight, but the reason for the cancellation was the bad meteorological situation and he did know about this.

- What happens when the complaints concern countries outside the EU?
- These cases are among the most complex ones. Practically, consumers rely on the policy of a specific company. We get signals about “frauds” concerning online shopping from retailers in the US and China. In such cases, we refer the clients to the police. However, I do not know how these are solved because we are not responsible for such cases.