Today world
consumer day is being celebrated with much fanfare. The theme this year is Digital
Consumers and their protection. It must be appreciated that in this digitalised
world the focus shift on protection of digital consumers from normal consumers
is thought off.
Do we really
understand the difference between normal consumers and digital consumers? For
many the difference lies only in the way they make their purchases either
online or offline. Rest of the duties and/or rights remains same for Digital or
Physical consumers as well as sellers.
Many of us
don’t go beyond this distinguishing feature. Have we ever considered beyond
this? What is main purpose of celebrating World Consumer Day? It’s to remind
all of us about our rights and duties of consumers and strengthen the consumer
movement.
It is many a
times said that consumer is the king. But in this digitalised world and use of
technology and particularly in online shopping scenario is this position of
consumer still as a King?
According to
my observations there are many disadvantages to which our so called King is
exposed to and no longer can he claim to be a King.
For evaluation, we will consider some
distinguishing features.
1)
In
case of physical consumer making purchase at any shop, he is pretty sure about
the location of same and jurisdiction of that shop. Does this hold true in case
of digital consumers? How many digital shoppers know about exact location of
online website they are visiting to? How many digital shoppers know about legal
jurisdiction of that website, in case of certain mishap?
2)
In case of physical consumer, he can be
somewhat sure about authenticity of the shop with which he is dealing with
either due to its continual operation from same location or certifications from
government’s various departments. Does this hold true for digital consumers who
are visiting online shopping websites?
3)
Physical
consumers at least know that there is Consumer Protection Act for their rights
protection but what about protection of Digital Consumers? Are they covered
under Consumer Protection Act?
4)
Under
which laws the Digital consumers get protection?
5)
Which
jurisdiction digital consumers can invoke if their consumer rights are
breached?
How many digital consumers are really able to provide answers to above
questions? Or how many agencies celebrating this World Consumer Day have
thought it proper to give a serious thought on above raised questions and tried
to find out answers for some of them so that we can really protect Digital
Consumer?
It’s sad but true that very few of us consumers and consumer movement
agencies have ignored these distinguishing threats to which ever growing
digital consumer is being exposed to.
It’s high time that all agencies working for betterment of Digital
Consumers should sit together and find certain proposals/suggestions for the
safety of Digital Consumers.
I from my end have certain proposals for betterment of Digital Consumers.
1)
The
Online Shopping websites should be strictly covered under some legal regime and
there must be some registration procedure for the same.
2)
All
the Online Websites should be compelled to accept payment after delivery and
there must be some cooling time with banks to effect the funds transfer in
shopping websites account.
3)
The
Digital Consumers must be made aware about how to verify authenticity of
shopping websites and what precautions they should observe while making online
shopping.
4)
The
responsive mechanism i.e. Police and Judiciary must be suitably upgraded to
register and try matters in case of digital consumer disputes.