Transparency in the e-commerce environment

NDO - The rapid development of e-commerce has boosted the digital economy and brought many benefits to consumers. However, alongside these conveniences are a series of challenges related to consumer rights. Therefore, to ensure a transparent e-commerce environment, coordinated efforts are needed from regulatory agencies, businesses, and consumers.

Báo Nhân dân•22/03/2025

Numerous violations of consumer rights.

According to data from the Competition and Consumer Protection Department ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ), the number of complaints related to e-commerce has increased sharply in recent years. Common issues include counterfeit goods, substandard goods, failure to deliver as promised, difficulties in returns and exchanges, and online fraud.

On e-commerce platforms, it's not uncommon to find products with significantly higher prices than the market price, often accompanied by unclear information about their origin.

Dr. Nguyen Manh Hung, former Chairman of the Vietnam Consumer Protection Association, commented: "Many sellers intentionally exploit loopholes in the inspection process to bring substandard products to the market. This not only harms consumers but also erodes trust in e-commerce."

Besides counterfeit goods, fraud through fake promotions and misleading advertising is also at an alarming level. Currently, many fraudsters are exploiting social media platforms to sell fake and counterfeit goods through livestreaming or advertising. Without strict control, consumers can easily fall into these traps.

Although e-commerce platforms have implemented return policies, many customers still face difficulties in the complaint process.

According to Dr. Can Van Luc, an economic expert, "The consumer protection system on e-commerce platforms still has some limitations. In many cases, consumers have to gather evidence and confront sellers without adequate support from the platform."

The leakage of personal information is also one of the biggest risks when shopping online. Consumer data is becoming a target for many malicious actors. Without strict security policies, consumer privacy will continue to be seriously violated.

完善 legal framework and regulations defining the responsibilities of e-commerce platforms.

To address these shortcomings, a representative from the Market Management Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade) stated that close coordination between management agencies, businesses, and consumers is necessary; regulations on e-commerce need to be amended and supplemented, especially stricter penalties for fraudulent activities. Authorities should strengthen inspections and publicly disclose lists of violating organizations and individuals to raise consumer awareness.

Stricter controls should be implemented for restaurants, requiring documentation proving product origin; consumer protection policies should be improved, and the quality of complaint handling services should be enhanced; AI and big data technologies should be applied to detect and prevent fraudulent activities. Simultaneously, consumers need to improve their awareness and skills, choosing to buy from reputable vendors with positive customer reviews; carefully checking product information before purchasing, avoiding being lured by unusually low prices; limiting the provision of personal information to websites of unknown origin; and immediately reporting any fraudulent activity to the authorities.

In particular, in the context of the growing cross-border e-commerce market, Vietnam needs to strengthen cooperation with countries in the region to develop common standards for consumer protection.

Protecting consumer rights in e-commerce is not only the responsibility of regulatory agencies or businesses, but also requires proactive action from consumers. When each party fulfills its responsibilities, e-commerce will develop in a transparent, sustainable direction and truly benefit society.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/minh-bach-moi-truong-thuong-mai-dien-tu-post866874.html