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Buyers, help yourselves
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Mon, Feb 18, 2008
The Straits Times
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TH | ERE is a sucker born every minute, an American hoaxer was said to have remarked 160 years ago. Singaporeans may not fall for questionable deals that frequently, but there are too many who get taken in by sale pitches that are too good to be true or plain oversold. The good news is that the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) managed to help some of them get back nearly $4 million in refunds last year over questionable deals. The bad news is refunds have increased every year. Does this say unscrupulous business practices are on the rise? Could it mean that more and more consumers are dumb shoppers or are too lazy to find out what they are getting before plunking down the money? Probably a bit of both. It would be an interesting exercise to find out if more comprehensive consumer protection has led not to fewer claims for Case to resolve but a false sense of security and pre-purchase apathy among buyers.
Singapore has tightened the rules over the years. The Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act of 2003 gives buyers the right to sue if sellers have deceived or misled them. It empowers a Small Claims Tribunal to hear cases of unfair practice and to order refunds, award damages and take other actions. Thirty years earlier, the advertising industry had set up a self-regulating body - the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore - to advise Case on ethical advertising, handle complaints and sanction offenders. Case has also devoted efforts to consumer education. Its website offers general shopping guidance and tips on buying such items as electronic and electrical goods, cars, furniture and so on. It advises caution before signing contracts - including those for timeshare holidays, which last year attracted the most complaints and accounted for nearly half the refunds. Case also puts out consumer alerts, often naming offending shops.
Similarly, this newspaper regularly promotes consumer awareness. Every Friday it publishes Buyer Beware, a column that features complaints involving various industries, illustrated by case studies and statistics, and accompanied by tips. Admittedly, such deals as those for beauty treatments and home rentals as well as timeshare vacations can be complex. But that is more, not less, reason for consumers to be careful. No one holds a gun to their head to sign an agreement with more fine print than normal print. With the ample consumer protection laws and opportunities to become acquainted with consumer rights, they have little excuse to shirk their share of responsibility of looking out for what is after all their own interest.
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