When shopping, Brazilian consumers should always research the product or service, the price and payment terms, paying attention to whether the stores correctly inform the values and the exchange policy.
“It is necessary to assess the need at the time of purchase, avoiding impulse purchases and even debt”, he told the Brazil Agencytoday (15), Consumer Day, the legal advisor to the presidency of the Procon of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Procon RJ), Flávia Lira.
Shopping onlineyou must check the origin of the siteif it displays the company’s National Register of Legal Entities number, if there is a contact telephone number, what is the procedure for withdrawing from the purchase and the delivery period.
Flávia recalled that, for purchases made over the internet or over the phone, the consumer can withdraw from the purchase within seven days of contracting and receiving the product.
“Take a close look at the offers of websites. The offer must be clearly described and cannot cause any doubts, ”she highlighted. If it is possible to pay in installments, the store must inform whether interest is charged and the total amount paid in installments.
Another tip from the legal advisor is that you should keep the proof of purchase with the order number and the indication of the delivery period. If the consumer does not receive the product within the period established by the company at the time of purchase, he must contact the store’s customer service. “And, if the problem is not resolved, he should seek Procon and file a complaint”, she advised.
Preference should also be given to websites acquaintances. The buyer must pay attention to the profile of the site, because some online stores advertise products from individuals or third parties. In the case of individuals, the recommendation is to evaluate the reputation of the seller of the product, comments, sales rate, customer satisfaction and the time in which the site announces.
“Do not click links received on digital channels. If the consumer received an unmissable promotion via Whatsapp, email or another digital channel, he must always be suspicious and not open the link. Many scams start when criminals send links fakes pretending to be official stores”, warned Flávia.
flight cancellations
She also said that whenever there is a cancellation or change of flight, the airline must keep the passenger informed about the whole situation, indicating the reason for the delay or cancellation and, in cases of delay, what is the estimate of flight. If the flight is cancelled, the passenger will be able to choose between re-accommodation, full refund of the ticket price or execution of the service by another mode of transport, for example, road.
In the case of a full refund, the period must be seven days from the date of the request made by the passenger, observing the means of payment that the consumer used to purchase the ticket.
If the airline does not make the refund within the deadline, contact the company’s customer service and, if the demand is not resolved, file a complaint with the Procon. According to the legal adviser, if the request is compensation for moral and material damages, it will be necessary to file a lawsuit.
According to a survey – carried out at the end of last year – with 401 people by Forum Huba virtual legal advice platform for individuals and companies, 67% of Brazilians who have already faced some type of problem with flights and cancellations did not receive any type of financial compensation from the airlines.
joint efforts
This Wednesday (15th), in Largo da Carioca, in the central region of Rio, a task force is being held to renegotiate debts, promoted by Procon with the support of the Clube de Directores Lojistas (CDLRio), Boa Vista Serviços, administrator of the Central Service of Credit Protection (SCPC) and Union of Commerce Shopkeepers of the Municipality of Rio (SindilojasRio).
The goal is for consumers to put their accounts in order directly with creditors and have a clean name. Companies from the retail, financial, telephone, energy and water concessionaires, banks and credit cards, among others, participate. The expectation is to attract more than two thousand people during the initiative.
The president of CDLRio and SindilojasRio, Aldo Gonçalves, highlighted that the task force aims to create facilities for the consumer in debt to negotiate directly with the creditor.
Flávia Lira commented that negotiating a debt in a Procon joint effort can offer many advantages to the consumer, including special discounts. “Often, companies participating in the mutirões offer special discounts and safer conditions for those who are negotiating the debt. These discounts can considerably reduce the total debt amount.”
Payment facilities are also offered, such as installments with lower interest rates or longer terms for repaying the debt. By negotiating and paying off debts, the consumer regularizes his financial situation, recovering his credit in the market, which may be important for him to obtain financing or future loans.
Court lawsuits
If the debt has already been collected in court, you can negotiate in the Procon joint effort and avoid the continuation of the process and possible financial losses resulting from interest and fines in the judicial process.
Also today, Procon do Rio ends three days of conciliation and renegotiation of debts and service with banks, telephone companies, retail companies and public service concessionaires, in celebration of World Consumer Week, with the participation of 21 suppliers that present conditions differentiated for resolution of demands.
