Online demand increases in SC, but complaints also grow

According to Procon, complaints for online sales increase by more than 300%

The crisis caused by the new coronavirus is changing the social behavior of the world. If a handshake seems like a centuries-old habit, the commute to a store or market must also be another significant change in people's lives. Various shopping sites such as 365 tips, are intensifying their relationship with the public through internet sales.

In addition, entrepreneurs are running massive campaigns through Instagram, putting employees to sell through WhatsApp and, in the case of large retailers, accelerating strategic processes that would take months to get off the ground.

But if this new moment drives the growth of online sales and creates a new market to be explored by stores and merchants, the problems resulting from this business model can also appear. And public complaints are skyrocketing.

In the first five months of 2020 alone, Procon de Santa Catarina recorded an increase of more than 300% in calls related to internet purchases. By May 2019, Procon/SC had received just over three thousand complaints. By 2020, it will be over 12.

According to the director of the state Procon, Tiago Silva, the increase in complaints is an indication that most establishments affected by the pandemic and the growth of online sales were not prepared for the high demand for sales of products and services online.

“It takes planning before going out selling without having the real capacity to deliver. Now, consumers cannot wait in vain for the goodwill of companies to adapt to this new trade model and only then deliver goods and services”, said the director.

Silva also warns of the increase in complaints regarding purchases from shell companies. According to him, many take advantage of the pandemic period and create fake shopping sites to apply scams. These complaints are being forwarded to the prosecution or the Civil Police for investigation.

In Florianópolis, the main records formalized in Procon concern defective products and delivery time. Companies justify the delay by the lack of enough professionals to meet the demand. In addition, they also claim delay on the part of the Post Office.

To solve any problem, you need to be patient and know the proper ways. The president of the OAB/SC Consumer Law Commission, Geyson Gonçalves, suggests that consumers should first contact companies to try to solve the problem. This, according to him, is the fastest form of solution, although it generates a “headache”.

Consumers can also look for sites that register complaints such as Reclame Aqui. According to Gonçalves, users have been successful in solving problems through these channels, when it comes to medium and large companies.

If these attempts are not effective, the consumer must trigger the Procon and, finally, if the problem is still not solved, he must seek justice.