17 th REGIONAL SEMINAR OF ACP-EU ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL INTEREST - PowerPoint Presentation

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17th REGIONAL SEMINAR OF ACP-EU ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL INTERESTMauritius 21-22 Nov 2019

BUILDING CONSUMER TRUST

IN ecommerce

It was in 1960, when US President JF Kennedy asked a question to the congress: Who is a consumer

?

I quote: "Consumers, by definition, include us all. They are the largest economic group in the economy, affecting and affected by almost every public and private economic decision. Two-thirds of all spending in the economy is by consumers. But they are the only important group in the economy who are not effectively organized, whose views are often not heard”. Unquote

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Who is a consumer?

That is almost 60 years ago

President Kennedy went on to outline four consumer rights:

1 The right to safety 2 The right to be informed 3 The right to choose

4 The right to be heard

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What are Consumer

Rights?

That is how in 1962, Consumers International movement was born. To be the global voice of consumers.

Today we are in more than 100 countries with more than 200 members around the globe

Eight basic rights are voiced since then The right to satisfaction of basic needs - The right to safety - The right to be informed - The right to choose -

The right to be heard -

The right to redress

The right to consumer education -

The right to a healthy environment -

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Consumers

International

1. The Responsibility to be aware of the quality and safety of goods and services before purchasing.

2. The Responsibility to gather all the information and facts available about a product or service as well as to keep abreast of changes and innovations in the marketplace.

3. The Responsibility to Think Independently and make choices about well-considered needs and wants.4. The Responsibility to Speak Out, to inform manufacturers and governments of needs and wants.5. The Responsibility to Complain and inform business and other consumers of dissatisfaction with a product or service in a fair and honest manner.6. The Responsibility to be an Ethical Consumer and to be fair by not engaging in dishonest practices which cost all consumers money.7. The Responsibility to Respect the Environment and avoid waste, littering and contribution to pollution.

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Consumers Responsibilities

As we are aware by now, the world is changing, and it is changing very fast

………. Through the

innovations and the advancement of digital technologies, the world has become one. It has become global. It has become one marketplaceDespite the pitfalls and the risks that came with the digital economy, one cannot deny the numerous benefits that came with it6The world is changing

Queueing at your bank

to withdraw or to deposit your money?

Who can remember withdrawing money in one bank to run and pay your bills at another 2 or 3 different banks?Who can remember reaching home and your prepaid electricity is finished and you have to run back to the supermarket?Who can remember frustrations of trying to change the day or the time on you flight at an agency?

Who can remember

queuing to register your child

at school?

Who can remember reaching the cashier at the store only too find you

forgot your wallet at home

?

Unfortunately, to each story, there is always two sides of the coin

.

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The benefits:

Who can remember?

With the numerous benefits we gained, came many challenges and pitfalls

:

From policies to frameworks that are no longer adequate to protect the consumersFrom data privacy to fraud, from schemes to unsafe product, cybercafé crimes, ……….. We are all

affected

. We are all

vulnerable.

Remember. The consumer is

you and I

.

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The pitfalls

This is a big question!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_W-VkQ4oSk&index=0&list=PL7YVP935ytF9Q5oybpL1UwnlPWx7eEcXu&utm_source=Consumers+International+-+Members+%26+Subscribers&utm_campaign=b82e22386d-HUggyBugSpanish&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_eab7ec67e5-b82e22386d-69883991

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How can we build a digital world in eCommerce that consumers can trust?

The 2018 CIGI-Ipsos Global Survey on Internet Security and Trust findings show that

over half of internet users surveyed around the world are more concerned about their online privacy than they were a year ago

, reflecting growing concern around the world about online privacy and the power of social media platforms. Just to name a few, Lack of regulations, legislations, policies for better consumer protectionLack of awareness and education for the consumer and his/her rightsLack of data privacy

Lack of transparency in contracts (lengthy and unclear contracts)

Lack consumer redress mechanisms

Lack of cross-border eCommerce regulations

Lack of cross-border Commerce redress mechanisms

Lack of online redress mechanism

Lack of protection against cybercriminal

Quality of products and value for money

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What is causing mistrust in eCommerce?

There is no business without consumers. And there is no consumer without a business.

Only through collaboration can we achieve this! And this has to be a two way relationship

We all need to come along and trade on the same terrain. The terrain of trust11What can be done to build this trust?

Regulators and Policy- makers

Laws- policies and regulations should include the component of Consumer protection

They should include proper& functional Consumer Redress mechanisms

Today dealing with

global market

: this implicates need to address cross- boarder and International issues. Hence

need for strong International collaboration

Businesses- Trade

Client (consumer) is King

Put the consumer in the heart of all your activities

A happy consumer- a happy business

Respect laws and Regulations

Ensure protection, security and privacy for consumers

Have business ethics

Assume proper consumer redress to maintain

trust

and

confidence

Watchdogs

Complies of Civil society and Consumers Organizations

Ensure implementation of laws, policies and regulations

ID Gaps and Advocate

Create awareness and education

Consumers

Consumer is you and me

We have rights and responsibilities

We need protection, privacy and security in our transactions

We need proper awareness and education

We need proper functional consumer redress mechanisms

There is no business without consumer

There is no consumer without business

There is a relationship and

Any good relationship shall be a two- way relationship

In Conclusion

Only through this collaboration can

we achieve balance between trade and the consumerOnly through this collaboration can we build a trusted eCommerce by the consumerOnly through this collaboration

can we

reach a fair trusted

ecommerce by the consumer

Remember: The consumer is you and I

Indeed, coming together for change

Once again,

Merci beaucoup,

Asante

sana,

muito

obrigda

,

I thank you very much

2018 CIGI-Ipsos Global Survey on Internet Security and Trust

CIGI-Ipsos, 2018

2017 Affordability Report, A4AI, 2017

How a dorm room Minecraft scam brought down the internet’

,

Wired,

2017

https://www.consumersinternational.org/media/154869/ci_connecting-voices_2017_v2.pdf

https://www.consumersinternational.org/news-resources/blog/posts/expanding-access-to-smart-devices-and-mobile-internet/?utm_source=CI+Staff&utm_campaign=8f59250fd3-StaffMarch+2019ENewsENG&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_27ec5755f3-8f59250fd3-79289803