99% of complaints by online buyers addressed, says DTI

Almost all complaints of online shoppers have been addressed by the Department of Trade and Industry, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez told GMA News on Wednesday.

According to Lei Alviz's report on "24 Oras", most of the complaints involved products sold through misleading advertisements and those that fell short of specifications.

“Repair, replace, refund. So far, base sa record natin, lahat ng napa-file-an ng complaint ay naa-address naman, 99%. Wala silang choice. Kailangan i-protect yung consumer,” Lopez said.

Lopez made the remark days after the country's top online selling sites held a sale on November 11 or 11-11.

An online buyer also went viral after he posting a defective watch that he bought online.

The timepiece's second hand went counter-clockwise, prompting the buyer to call it a time machine.

In light of mounting complaints, the DTI advised online shoppers to buy only from legitimate online shops to avoid or easily resolve problems.

Shoppers should also check reviews before checking out and read the terms of service to know what to do in case they receive a defective product, the DTI added.

The two biggest online shopping applications in the Philippines, Lazada and Shopee, vowed to prioritize their customers’ shopping experience.

Lazada said shoppers who have complaints may approach their customer care help center, which is open 24 hours a day.

Shopee said it has a “Shopee Guarantee” system where sellers will not receive the payment for an item unless the buyer confirms that he or she has received it in good condition. —Julia Mari Ornedo/NB, GMA News