Have you purchased any items online such as clothes, appliances, gadgets, furniture, shoes, etc.?
We all do, right? But picture this, the parcels turned out to be either defective or broken, and you wanted a refund but the seller said “no video, no refund”?
Worst case scenario, you happened to forget to record a video of yourself unboxing it?
Worry not, because there’s a law that prohibits seller from imposing the “no video, no refund” policy which is the Republic Act 7934 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) warned the public against those sellers who are using the “no video, no refund” policy where they obliged buyers to video themselves accepting and opening their order.
The catch is, if the order was defective and no video was taken of it, sellers will not consider any compensation for the order.
According to the DTI, this policy is considered “deceptive, unfair, and unsconscionable sales acts or practices” that violates the law.
In actuality, consumers have all the rights to return the item, ask for replacement, full refund, or have the item repaired whether the items were bought from physical stores or online shops.
As per the law, sellers who will disobey the law will face a fine of P500 up to P20,000. They may also be subjected of three (3) months or up to two (2) years jail time, or both, depending on the discretion of the court.
Did you encounter the same instance and wondering what to do next? You may file your complaints to the DTI Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau.