![As a result of analyzing consumer consultations related to SNS platform transactions received at the Consumer Consultation Center from January to October of last year, the Korea Consumer Agency found that delivery delays and non-delivery cases (60%) were the most. [사진 픽사베이]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202101/17/d3a36b5b-28aa-4ef2-af62-310838812584.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
As a result of analyzing consumer consultations related to SNS platform transactions received at the Consumer Consultation Center from January to October of last year, the Korea Consumer Agency found that delivery delays and non-delivery cases (60%) were the most. [사진 픽사베이]
A bought a luxury bag for 1.96 million won at a cafe on the portal site in 2019. It was explained that it will be delivered to Korea within 4 weeks by’direct purchase’ at a cheap price overseas. Even after a year, the bag did not come. Mr. A tried to contact the seller several times, but the seller had already disappeared.
Mr. B bought a massage machine for 60,000 won after watching an advertisement video on YouTube last year. It was an advertisement saying,’If you don’t like it after one week of use, you can return it’, but when Mr. B asked for a return, the answer that refund was impossible after use came back.
It was found that many consumer damages such as delayed delivery or non-delivery have occurred in SNS platform transactions through Kakao Talk or Naver and YouTube. According to the Korea Consumer Agency on the 17th, a total of 3,960 consumer consultations related to SNS platform transactions received at the Consumer Consultation Center (1372) from January to October last year. Among them, 2372 cases (60%) were’delayed delivery or non-delivery’ cases. Contract cancellation/subscription withdrawal rejection (775 cases, 20%), quality defects and insufficiency (278 cases, 7%) followed.
![The Korea Consumer Agency has made a video that contains cases of damage that frequently occurs when purchasing electronic products through direct purchase overseas and notes for each case. [연합뉴스]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202101/17/b261d056-2685-458a-89d4-128d15db1c6f.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
The Korea Consumer Agency has made a video that contains cases of damage that frequently occurs when purchasing electronic products through direct purchase overseas and notes for each case. [연합뉴스]
The damage to SNS platform transactions was mainly focused on small transactions. More than half (61%) of the 2745 cases in which the Consumer Agency was able to confirm the transaction amount were complaints and damages in small transactions of less than 100,000 won. By item, cases of clothing and textiles accounted for the most with 2700 cases (68%).
Consumers said that sellers attracted consumers through various channels such as portal search, advertising links, posts and emails, and contracts or orders were made through Kakao Talk, comments, and chats. Some sellers sell the same product on multiple platforms at the same time, making it difficult for consumers to know where to buy or business information. Consumer Agency amplified that 1,305 (33%) complaints and damages were received against sellers who traded on multiple platforms with multiple trade names.
Current law limits consumer protection in the SNS platform market
Consumer Agency said, “The current law classifies the SNS platform operator as an electronic bulletin board service provider and imposes responsibility.” “There is a limit to protecting consumers in the SNS platform market where users of various purposes participate and transactions are carried out through complex channels. “I pointed out.
Based on the results of this survey, Consumer Agency plans to recommend voluntary improvement efforts to protect monitoring consumers to SNS platform operators. In addition, it is planning to recommend system improvement to the relevant ministries to strengthen the management responsibility for the sellers who enter the SNS platform operator.
Reporter Lee Byung-jun [email protected]