If you’re selling/buying stuff online or on social media, you might wanna perk your ears up for this one..
According to a report by New Straits Times, enforcers from the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry will be coming down hard on online sellers, including those selling stuff on social media like Facebook and Instagram, who fail to put up the prices of their goods and services. #PMforprice, amirite?
According to the Consumer Protection Act 1999, retailers are required by law to display:
- The full prices of the goods or services, including taxes and transportation or other costs.
- Name of the business owner or the company and business name
- Business or company registration number
- E-mail address, telephone number or address of the person running the business.
- Description of the main characteristics of the goods or services
- Methods of payment
- Terms and conditions.
- Estimated delivery time
Should online sellers fail to abide by these requirements, they could risk being fined up to RM50,000 or face a maximum jail sentence of three years OR sentenced to both the fine and jail time. The enforcers report that one of the red flags of an illegitimate online seller is when they see interested buyers posting messages like “PM me” in the comments section of a product for sale.
“We are fully enforcing this law after having relaxed on this to allow traders to adjust accordingly,” said Datuk Roslan Mahayudin, the ministry’s enforcement director. “We want consumers to be better covered. Their rights must be protected, and they must be able to make informed purchasing decisions with details on prices, the products and services, who they are dealing with and hidden charges at their fingertips.”
“If a person is selling a cat, for example, he must display the price he wants for it. He cannot simply say ‘private message if interested’. Not any more.”
For those of you selling things online and making the rest of us PM you for more details, please, stop. Not only is it annoying, but you might end up with a hefty fine and jail-time. The choice is yours.
[Source]
