Consumer Council received a total of 6,420 cases last year, down by 13.7 percent year-on-year, with a clearance rate of over 90 percent. The Consumer Arbitration Centre received 19 cases in 2016.
Consumer Council received 1,673 complaint cases in 2016, and the top five categories were telecommunication equipment, real estates, telecommunication services, public transportation, and food & beverages, with a total of 717 complaint cases, which amounted to about 43 percent of the total number of complaint cases received in 2016. Aside from recording an increase in the number of complaint cases for real estates, the other four categories recorded decreases in the number of cases.
Better communication between parties prevents consumer dispute
Telecommunication equipment topped that chart in 2016. Above 60 percent of the 198 complaint cases were related to quality and after-sales service of mobile phones. Consumer disputes include consumers’ failure to get a proper working phone even after several attempts of maintenance on a new phone, or claims by the repair centre that consumers have made alterations on the phone and therefore rejects to provide warranty service, etc.
The Council has already given advice to the repair centre to improve their communication with consumers, and let consumers know about the reason for their loss of warranty. Consumers should also acquaint themselves with the warranty terms and conditions of the mobile phone brands to safeguard their own rights. The Council believes that consumer disputes can be avoided through enhanced interaction between both parties.
Over 130 cases of local citizens purchasing Mainland properties
For real estates, 184 complaint cases were received in 2016, 136 of which involved local citizens purchasing properties in the Mainland. For pre-sale of uncompleted flats, no complaints was received by the Council in 2016 due to increased promotion by both the Council and nearby consumer organizations.
Decrease in number of cases regarding mobile data
For telecommunication services, 51 complaint cases involved the usage of mobile data, and 16 cases were disputes regarding roaming charges. The overall number of this kind of complaints, compared with only 4 cases in 2015, has significantly increased.
Consumer Council reminds consumers to pay attention to the usage of mobile data, and prevent the happening of this kind of dispute by locking roaming services when going abroad.
Airline and taxi services amount to 80 percent of public transportation complaints
The number of airline complaints dropped by 22 percent in 2016 due to the decrease of cancelled flights due to force majeure.
About 40 percent of the 99 complaint cases on public transportation involved airline services, 12 cases were related to low-cost airline companies or flights delay.
Complaint cases on taxi services also amounted to 40 percent of the total; 41 cases were related to service attitude of taxi drivers, cases on overcharging and detour increased by 60 percent year-on-year, and 22 cases were lodged by tourists.
Regarding complaints on taxi services, the Council and the related department interchange information periodically and work together to halt this kind of illegal acts to safeguard consumer rights.
Obvious decrease in number of complaints from tourists
The number of complaint and enquiry cases from tourists totaled to 683, down by 32 percent year-on-year, amounted to about 10 percent of the total number of cases received.
Tourists’ complaints amounted to 342 cases, 70 percent of them were related to telecommunication equipment, watches, jewelry & goldsmiths, public transportation, apparel, and food and beverage services. 85 percent of these cases were lodged by Mainland tourists.
Telecommunication equipment has greatly decreased by 60 percent, 30 cases received related to the quality of mobile phones, and purchases of non-brand new phones, etc..
Preventing consumer dispute
Consumer Council’s continuous promotion helps to enhance both consumers’ and businesses’ awareness in consumer rights, which result in obvious decrease in the number of complaint cases received in 2016. Moreover, the Council initiated meetings with chambers and organizations of industries with the most complaints to discuss about the causes of consumer disputes and suggestions on improvement.
57 complaint cases regarding online shopping
The number of complaints on online shopping increased by 50 percent year-on-year from 38 cases to 57 cases. Consumers are advised to consider whether online shops are backed by physical shops or third party payment platforms to lower the risk of online shopping.
70 percent of Arbitration Centre’s cases closed
A total of 19 cases were handled by Consumer Arbitration Centre in 2016; judgement were made for 5 cases by the Centre, 9 cases were settled through mediation, and the other 5 cases are still in process. Most of the cases involve categories like jewelry & goldsmiths, handicrafts, and furniture. The involved amount totaled to about MOP180,000.