The National Consumer Secretariat (Senacon), of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, prepared a guide with guidelines and rights guaranteed by the Consumer Protection Code to guide Brazilians to take advantage of Black Friday promotions in a safer and more conscious way. This year’s trade event takes place on November 29th.
Access here Consumer Protection Guide for Black Friday.
“[O guia] arises in a context of growth in purchases online in Brazil and the increase in complaints during major promotional events, such as false offers, inflated prices before discounts and problems with product delivery”, explained Senacon.
In the 2023 edition, consumer protection platforms received more than 7 thousand complaints from citizens frustrated with false promises of discounts and benefits. The objective now is to offer the necessary tools to identify real promotions and prevent abusive practices.
Senacon also informed that it will monitor the market and work in partnership with consumer protection bodies to prevent irregularities and apply sanctions to companies that disrespect consumer rights.
The secretariat also encourages the use of the platform Consumidor.gov.br for the direct resolution of conflicts between consumers and registered companies. “More than 80% of complaints registered on the portal have a positive outcome”, says the text.
Top tips
The guide highlights points that consumers should observe before, during and after the purchase:
– Previous price research: to avoid pitfalls, Senacon recommends monitoring prices in advance. Online comparison tools can be great allies.
– Be wary of offers far below the market: products with extremely reduced prices can hide traps, such as scams in websites fraudulent.
– Check the seller’s reputation: before purchasing, the consumer should check the store’s reputation in websites of complaints and check whether the supplier’s CNPJ is active. Through the platform RedeSim It is possible to consult the companies’ CNPJ.
– Read the full product description: the absence of clear information may constitute a violation of the Consumer Protection Code, which guarantees the right to adequate information about product characteristics, risks and restrictions.
– Right to regret: for purchases made outside the physical establishment, such as online or over the phone, the consumer has up to seven business days to cancel, without needing to justify it.
– Guarantee against abusive practices: the Consumer Protection Code protects against misleading advertising and abusive clauses in contracts, such as undue charges or lack of technical support after the sale.
– Be careful with shipping and delivery times: the guide warns that the supplier is obliged to clearly inform shipping costs and delivery times before finalizing the purchase.
