Statistics Release on E-commerce Related Consumer Damage Redress

- Electronic Transactions-

□ The Korea Consumer Agency (President: Myung-Hee Park) has decided to release E-commerce related consumer damage redress statistics (by business type or by selling method) from October 2008. 

□ The purposes of disclosing ‘the consumer dispute statistics’ by business operators are as follows; 

ㅇ To guarantee the consumer’s right to know and the right to choose,

ㅇ To encourage the business operators’ voluntary dispute resolution efforts and their preventive measures against consumer damages

□ The information sectors to be released are as follows;

ㅇ Frequent consumer transaction sectors, high demand information sectors and business fields where frequent consumer damages have occurred. 

□ According to the number of received consumer complaints, the statistics will be disclosed by business operators on a regular basis (annually, biannually, or quarterly).

ㅇ The number of collective consumer damage redress cases, transaction amount or number of transactions shall be also released if the disclosure is necessary.

□ The e-commerce transaction is on the rise compared to the last year.  As a frequent consumer transaction sector, e-commerce related consumer damage redress cases will be released in accordance with the number of received complaints (up to 10 companies).  One more field statistics shall be disclosed by the end of 2008.     

□ Moreover, the business field statistics where frequent consumer damages occur are planned to be released in order to encourage voluntary preventive measures and consumer dispute resolutions.      

I. Information release detail

O Among actual internet sellers and internet sales brokers during January 1^st~June 30, 2008, the list of top 10 companies has been disclosed.

ll Top 10 companies

(Based on the No. of consumer damage redress for Q1&Q2, 2008)

* 185 claims regarding Auction Co. (87 cases for ordinary complaints & 98 cases for collective same damages caused by disclosure of private information)

Remarks: Total transaction amount for the first half of 2008, submitted by the business operators.