Ahead of Seollal Holiday, Consumer Damage from Parcel and Gift Certificate Increases... Damage Must Be Notified Within 14 Days

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[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] Ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) has issued a consumer damage advisory regarding frequent consumer damages related to parcel delivery and gift certificates.

According to the KFTC and the Korea Consumer Agency, over the past three years (2018?2020), there were 22,810 consumer consultations (773 damage relief cases) related to parcel delivery. Among these, consultations during January and February, which include the Lunar New Year holiday, accounted for 17.9% (4,075 cases), and damage relief cases accounted for 20.7% (160 cases).

The main reasons for damage relief applications were damage or deterioration of transported goods at 43.5%, loss at 40.0%, and contract violations at 10.2%, in that order.

Consumers should immediately check for damage or spoilage upon receiving goods, and if there is a problem, notify the parcel delivery company of the damage within 14 days from the date of receipt. The damaged goods must be kept until compensation is completed. Additionally, if delivery is delayed beyond the scheduled delivery date causing damage, consumers can claim compensation based on the scheduled delivery date on the itemized statement (waybill) according to the Consumer Dispute Resolution Standards.

The KFTC advised that parcel volumes surge before and after holidays, which may cause delivery delays, so consumers should allow sufficient time when requesting delivery. It also recommended sending perishable items such as fresh food after the holiday to avoid spoilage.

Regarding gift certificates, over the past three years (2018?2020), there were 10,918 consumer consultations and 694 damage relief cases. During January and February, which include the Lunar New Year holiday, consultations accounted for 17.6% (1,922 cases) and damage relief cases 16.0% (111 cases). The main reasons for damage relief applications were refusal of use due to expiration at 57.3%, refusal of refund at 16.7%, refusal of use within the validity period at 7.5%, and refusal of refund of remaining balance after use at 3.5%, in that order.

Even if the validity period of a gift certificate has expired, if it has been less than five years since the issue date, consumers can receive a refund of 90% of the purchase amount.

A KFTC official stated, "During periods of high demand for gift certificates such as holidays, sales tactics that induce bulk purchases and cash payments by offering high discounts are likely fraudulent, so it is best to avoid them." They also cautioned, "Mobile gift certificates provided free through events and promotions have short validity periods, and extensions or refunds after expiration are difficult, so consumers should be careful."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.