Mission Golden Goal: 1m duplicate sports goods seized

In January this year, the Intellectual Property Rights Protection section at the Department of Economic Development (DED), Dubai, launched a campaign titled ‘The Golden Goal’, which targeted stores and warehouses of sports dresses, kits and equipment. In the crackdown, almost a million duplicate sports-related products were seized and 19 outlets fined.

As the Fifa World Cup kicked off in Brazil, tens of thousands imitation footballs claiming to be official ones were seized from three warehouses.

Complaints& Responses Bracelet brouhaha:A consumer lodged a complaint against a jewellery shop, saying he paid Dh23, 200 for some bracelets and was told they would be delivered on a certain date. However, on that day, he was told they were reserved for someone else. He asked the shop to return the money but they refused. The complaints and consumers section contacted the shop to look into the complaint and it agreed to return the money. The shop was warned and advised to abide by the conditions of the contract. Phone woe:A consumer bought a phone, found a defect in it and took it back to the shop he had bought it from. The shop personnel told him the defect was a minor one and the phone would be repaired. However, the phone was repaired many times without any improvement and when he wanted his money back, the shop rejected his request. DED called the shop, which then returned the money paid for the phone, Dh1,099. Design dilemma:A consumer said he had a deal with an interior design company to do his house within a certain time. But the company did not keep their word and delayed the work. The complaints section held a meeting with the two parties, and an agreement was reached that the firm would finish the work in a month’s time. In case the client was not happy with the work, it would be done once again in full.

The 24/7 task team of the Intellectual Property Rights section monitored the warehouses before they were officially raided and the fake sports kits were confiscated.

The DED works on raising awareness on the hazards of duplicate and fake goods, and urges the public to boycott these goods despite the fact that their prices are significantly lower than the original products.

Ibrahim Behzad, Senior Manager of the Intellectual Property Rights Protection section, said the campaign will continue along with other campaigns, which will be launched to curb trade fraud and violations related to the infringement of trade brand owners’ rights. These campaigns will help the “primary goal”, which is to maintain the rights of the consumer and protect them from trade fraud and exploitation.

“In this light, we call on the brand owners to cooperate with the DED in conducting workshops and training courses for the department’s inspectors,” Behzad said.

Many consumers go for duplicate products mainly because of the cost factor. “Consumers, especially those with big families and low incomes, go for these duplicate products because they can’t afford to buy the original products. But the consumer must understand the risks associated with duplicate products — especially electric equipment and automobile spare parts.”

Duplicate products also affect the economy, he added.

“We call on the consumers to report fake trade cases. The consumer will remain the defence wall against the dangers and adverse impacts of these goods,” he said.

salah@khaleejtimes.com

Consumer confidence index mirrors themarket position

Consumer confidence index is a survey set by the Department of Economic Development (DED), to elicit the views of the consumers and their frame of mind, as well as their predictions on the upcoming economic conditions. The index sees to it that the consumers are surveyed once every three months. The standard of the consumer confidence index is related directly with the spending power of the consumers.

The spending trend and the viewpoint of the consumer are regarded as one of the most important factors that affect the stock and bonds markets. For instance, the good economic growth in stock market is translated into strong joint profits and upward rise in the prices of shares, while in the bonds market attention is focused on the speed of the economic growth, which if moving robustly could lead to inflation.

Therefore, the DED takes the consumer confidence index very seriously as the size of the consumers’ spending constitutes two-third of the economic activity.

Markets are always on the look out for what the consumer wants, and to provide for all possible contingencies what are the contingencies of their activities in the near future. The more the consumers’ confidence increases on the economy the more they will spend. On the basis of this idea, it is easy to realise that the index gives a perspective about the direction of the economic growth takes and therefore, it is important for the retail, stock and bond markets.

What the index depends on

The index depends on three basic indicators of 16 sub-indexes. The first index gauges the power of the consumer’s confidence as factors, contingencies and potentials of the consumer’s perceptions on the economic situation at present and in the future, as well as the level of his spending i.e the possibilities of the local consumption as a driving force for the growth.

The second index measures the level of optimism in the financial and job position of the consumer and his desire. This is done through three indicators: the perceptions of the consumer on opportunity to get a job; the position of the financial conditions, their perceptions on purchasing things. The third one measures the level of consumer’s spending on basic items and the state of balance between spending and saving.

The sub-indicators include habits of spending, expenses on basic living, spending surplus money, measures taken to dodge the high cost of living.

The index is one of the leading indices that help anticipating the rush of consumers in expanding the processes of expenditure or the extent of their fear for their future and financial position. Accordingly The DED urges suppliers, traders and investors working n commercial and retail markets in Dubai to keep in touch with the department and ask for the consumer confidence index report. Since it mirrors the position of the market at present and the future, and monitors the reactions and overreactions of the consumers towards the economic information. It also reflects their future expectations and benefits in creating a suitable work environment.

(As told by Adel Al Hilou, Head of Consumer Awareness Section-DED)

Khaleej Timesruns the ‘Consumer Forum’ series in collaboration with the Department of Economic Development in Dubai. Readers can email their complaints and suggestions tonews@khaleejtimes.com with the subject line ‘Consumer Forum’ or raise them directly with the DED on phone number600 545 555