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New law on returning goods on the anvil

SHARJAH - Shops in this emirate would no longer be allowed to display signboards at the entrance announcing that goods once purchased will not be taken back after a specific period of time.

Engineer Hassan Al Katheiri, a Consumer Protection Expert and former chairman of the Emirates Consumer Protection Society (ESCP), told Khaleej Times that a law would soon be introduced to give effect to the decision.

Al Katheiri said the draft law, prepared by ESCP, was submitted to the authorities concerned in 2003, which was subsequently approved by the Ministry of Economy and Trade and the Cabinet after some modifications were carried out.

'This practice of shops not accepting goods once sold from a dissatisfied customer after a specific period of time exists only in Arab countries. I am a frequent traveller and I have not come across such signboards in Europe. They don't put up such announcements since customers would then look for shops which don't follow this practice,' he said, adding that the shops here could put up a more customer-friendly sign listing out the conditions under which they would be willing to accept goods bought from them.

Al Katheiri wondered why shops were not willing to accept goods from a dissatisfied customer even after the specific period. 'Sellers usually are under the misconception that a returned item is a loss for them. On the contrary, when a consumer wants to return something that he had purchased from a particular shop and gets a positive response will only add to the reputation of the shop. Besides, the good service would ensure that he remains loyal to the shop,' he said.

Any dissatisfied customer has the right to return goods if he realises that it was of low quality, he said, and pointed out that only shops which have commodities stocked up in their shelves for long periods would opt for such measures.

Khaleej Times spoke to some prominent shops for their reaction on the proposed law, who were unanimous in their opinion that seven days was long enough for a customer to examine and decide on goods purchased. 'I think seven days is enough for consumers to determine whether they had bought the right product or not. We follow the one week rule in our shop, and take back goods during the period provided it is in good condition,' a supervisor at a leading shop told Khaleej Times on condition of anonymity.

The supervisor at another shop catering to basic family needs said : 'We have even taken back items purchased from us, particularly toys, that were obviously used in a reckless manner. The customer would always maintain that they never used the product during the stipulated period. We take it back and exchange it for a product of the same value.'

He also pointed out that trial rooms were available in shops to make the consumer feel at ease and check whether he is buying the right product. 'Besides, no customer is compelled to buy a product they don't want. So where does the question of return arise?' he shot back.

Says another supervisor: 'I don't think the proposed law is a good idea since it would encourage some customers to misuse products and then bring it back anytime he or she wants to, knowing fully well that the shop can't do anything but to accept it. This would result in losses to business establishments.'

He also appealed to the authorities to consider the interests of both businessmen and consumers and not merely make a law that would only be in favour of the consumers.

Rana Fouda , a consumer who rarely buys from shops that display such signboards, said : 'I think a lot before buying a particular item to make sure I will not return it. But in case I find the product defective, I expect the shop to exchange the item. The main aim of any shop is to serve our needs, and hence they should make sure that the customers are satisfied and return to the shop.'

Mark J, another consumer commented: 'When I see such signs displayed in shops, I hesitate buying anything from such shops. I believe that the first impression is what matters. A sucessful shop is one which tries to win over the maximum number of consumers through good service.'

Samah Fathy, another consumer, said: 'I will be more than happy to enter any shop which does not display such singboards. I live in Fujairah and I come only once a week to buy my clothes and basic neccesities. Once I bought a jacket from one of the shops which had this practice. I did not use the jacket for a week and when I wanted to exchange it for a different colour after 10 days, the shop owner argued that I had exceeded the one week time limit, and hence, could not exchange it. I decided then and there that I would not step into the shop again.'