Between October 30th and this Friday afternoon (29th), Procon-SP received 2,016 complaints from consumers who took advantage of Black Friday promotions to buy a product or hire a service.
The majority (639) of complaints registered by the São Paulo consumer protection agency have to do with delays in the delivery of goods. Next, according to the preliminary balance, come complaints related to products or services other than the one purchased (217); cancellation of purchases after they have been made (195); discount makeup (183) and unavailability of the advertised promotional item (175).
For Procon-SP experts, in addition to serving as a warning to consumers, the detailed information in website of the organ They should serve as a reference for companies to identify potential bottlenecks, improve management and relationships with consumers.
“If used well, this data offers an opportunity for strategic change to improve the entire business”, assesses the executive director of Procon-SP, Luiz Orsatti Filho, in a note released by the organization, which made available in its website a shortcut for consumers who want to register a complaint or consult the companies being complained about.
Recommendations
In a note, the National Consumer Secretariat (Senacon), of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, recommended that people take extra care to avoid falling into traps. According to the secretariat, before closing a deal, the buyer must carefully analyze the prices of the products and carefully read the return and guarantee policies of each establishment.
According to the Consumer Protection Code, all advertising must be clear and precise and the interested party has the right to true information about the products, including price, characteristics and payment conditions. Practices such as increasing prices before the event to simulate a greater discount, the so-called “double half” promotion, are illegal.
Furthermore, Senacon highlights, in purchases made outside the physical establishment, the code guarantees consumers the right to regret, that is, the customer can cancel the purchase within seven days, with the right to a full refund.
“Black Friday is a great opportunity for consumers and companies, but it is also a time when we need to pay extra attention to abusive practices and misleading offers. Senacon is monitoring the market to curb these actions and ensure that Brazilian consumers have safe and advantageous consumption. We recommend that everyone inform themselves and demand their rights to make a really conscious Black Friday,” highlighted secretary Wadih Damous, in the note.
