Ahead of Black Friday... Consumer Warning for Overseas Direct Purchase Damages

Korea Consumer Agency Reports 6,678 Consultations in November-December Over the Past 3 Years

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chunhan] Ahead of Black Friday, the largest shopping event in the United States, on the 26th, concerns have been raised that consumer damages related to overseas direct purchase transactions may increase, requiring caution.

According to the Korea Consumer Agency on the 25th, a total of 35,007 consumer consultations related to overseas direct purchases were received over the past three years (2018?2020). Among these, consultations received in November and December accounted for 6,678 cases, representing 19.1% of the total.

In particular, during the Black Friday period, there have been cases where sellers unilaterally cancel orders, causing damages. To prevent such damages, consumers are advised not to hastily decide to purchase based on limited quantity discount advertisements and to frequently check the delivery status of items to respond promptly if problems arise.

Additionally, if contact with the seller is lost after card payment or delivery status cannot be confirmed, consumers can prepare evidence and apply for the 'chargeback' service through their credit card company. Chargeback is a service that allows consumers to request the credit card company to cancel a transaction in cases of damage in international transactions.

The Consumer Agency also informed that for damages related to domestic businesses, assistance can be requested at the 1372 Consumer Counseling Center, and for damages related to overseas businesses, help can be sought through the International Transaction Consumer Portal.

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