Interpark Int. and Shinsegae Mall of ranked first and second, respectively, among online shops in the overall number of consumer damages for e-commerce in Korea for the recent nine months.  

The Korea Consumer Agency (President: Kim Young-seen, www.kca.go.kr) has analyzed 1,601 e-commerce consumer redress cases filed to the Agency for the recent nine months (Jan. ~ Sept., 2010) and found that Interpark Int. and Shinsegae Mall ranked the first in the number of reported complaints per one million purchases for online Intermediaries (open market) and online shopping malls, respectively. In terms of the number of consumer redress cases, Ebay Gmarket topped the list with 230 cases, followed by Ebay Auction and 11st (SK Telecom’s open market) with 160 and 116 cases, respectively.

Analyzing the 747 complaint cases filed against top 10 companies with most consumer complaints, request for exchange or refund due to product quality and after-sales issue topped the list with 336 cases (45.0%) followed by complaints (151 cases or 20.2%) related to cancellation of complaint and contract termination (such as delayed refund after contract termination) and non-performance of contract (112 cases or 15.0%) by business. In the list, non-compliance of contract showed the biggest growth by 11.3% compared to that of 2009, followed by unfair practice and advertisement-related complaints with 50.9% and 31.3% increase, respectively. Meanwhile, complaints related to cancellation and termination of contract and product quality and after-sales service declined by 38.4% and 6.7%, respectively, compared to those for 2009.

By item, clothes and personal items such as accessories , cultural goods, and ICT equipments ranked high with 212 cases (28.3%), 104 cases (13.9%),and 90 cases (12.1%), respectively. While ICT services and sports, leisure & hobby goods rose by 100% and 47.1%, respectively, compared to figures for 2009, cars &vehicles and ICT equipments, and household goods witnessed a decline by 36.2%, 23.7%, and 17.6%, respectively.

 Out of 747 cases in total, 483 cases (64.7%) were settled at the agreed recommendation stage. And, in terms of the result of the settlement, refund came with the most 272 cases (36.5%) followed by cancellation of contract and compensation at 64 cases (8.6%) and 42 cases (5.6%), respectively. Meanwhile, 13 cases remained unsettled and sent to the Consumer Dispute Settlement Commission (Chair: Kim Hak-geun) of the KCA for a settlement of dispute as the both parties concerned failed to accept the agreed recommendation.