Warning about threats, consumer protection in the e-commerce market

Collecting and updating information and new regulations for business regarding risks in the e-commerce market are extremely important, said Nguyen Duc Trung, deputy director of the Agency for Enterprise Development (AED) at the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI).

Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – Collecting and updating information and new regulations for business regarding risks in the e-commerce market are extremely important, said Nguyen Duc Trung, deputy director of the Agency for Enterprise Development (AED) at the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI).

AED, together with the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), organized an information support workshop for businesses entitled “Consumer Rights Protection Act 2023 in the context of digitalization and e-commerce” to help them navigate the new waters of e-commerce.

The workshops were aimed at helping entrepreneurs understand the threats emerging on the new market and familiarize themselves with new regulations regarding the protection of consumer rights.

MPI has built a business information portal on the digital ecosystem to support companies. It focuses on helping them understand new global trends such as responsible business, digital transformation, fourth-generation technology applications, and enterprise mergers.

It is also possible to connect to a network of professional consultants.

Pham Que Anh, GIZ expert, outlined the opportunities and challenges facing consumers participating in e-commerce platforms operating across borders.

“The challenge they face today is the difficulty of identifying both buyers and sellers, ensuring the privacy of their data and ensuring the security of trade,” Anh said.

E-commerce is growing rapidly, creating opportunities for consumers so that as the market frontiers expand, there is more choice, including better goods and products and more competitive prices.

However, in the context of digital transformation and cross-border e-commerce, transactions take place online, either on the seller’s website or on a third-party platform.

Consumers are not allowed to check the quality of goods, so they must rely on information from previous tests or opinions of other buyers.

This can be risky, as can payment systems, often via a third party, or cash on delivery.

GIZ ASEAN SME Project Director Sita Zimpel emphasized that many international commitments have now been built to promote the protection of consumer rights in the context of digital transformation and e-commerce.

In the region, member states have endorsed the ASEAN Strategic Action Plan on Consumer Protection 2016-2025, and last year ASEAN also launched a set of guidelines to protect consumers engaged in e-commerce.

She said these efforts have played an important role in changing the perception of consumer protection, aiming to harmonize legal provisions across countries in the region, thereby promoting sustainable trade.

To adapt to international obligations and address new issues emerging in the context of strong digital transformation, Deputy Head of the Consumer Protection Division of the National Competition Commission Ho Tung Bach said that the Consumer Rights Protection Law was adopted by the Vietnam National Assembly last year and officially will come into force from July 1 this year.

In particular, the Consumer Rights Protection Act of 2023 expands the scope of foreign enterprises providing products and services to consumers in Vietnam.

In addition, the Act contains many new regulations related to the protection of consumer information, sensitive consumers, the provision of digital platform services and liability for product recalls./.