29/05/2022
"Knowing your rights is not enough. You must utilize them when you transact. Be sure that you are not just making a bluff."
As a citizen who engages in e-commerce, are you aware of it? Do you know your rights as a consumer? As a consumer, you are the one who demands and uses the goods and services provided by various businesses. You must declare and exercise your rights to overcome unfair commercial practices and prevent being exploited. Thus, knowing your consumer rights empowers and protects you from market abuses and social injustices.
Every person has four basic consumer rights, and these rights can be applied in both physical and online marketplace:
i. the right to be informed,
i. the right to choose,
iii. the right to be heard, and
iv. the right to safety.
1. The right to safety
This right protects you from the marketing or provision of goods or services that may be harmful to your health and life. It is concerned with the product's ingredients, chemicals, and measurements.
2. The right to choose
This is right gives you the freedom to choose from a variety of goods and services at reasonable rates and with the assurance of adequate quality. It helps you decide on the products you really want without degrading your freedom of selection.
3. The right to be heard,
This is your right to express your concerns about government policies that affect the supply of products and services to customers. This allows you, as a consumer, to live a better life by receiving the best value/quality product or service for your hard-earned money. If the product/service you purchased does not match your expectations, you have the right to complain.
4. The right to be informed,
This is your right to be given the information you need to make informed decisions and protects you from deceptive or false marketing and labeling. If you are skeptical about a product or service, you can ask the owner or a professional consultant to learn more about the product. Make sure you're conversing politely and with the intent of understanding the product/service rather than criticizing the other person's efforts.
Remember: Along with knowing your rights, you must also keep being polite.