Trần Thị Phương Lan

 Trần Thị Phương Lan, deputy director of the Hà Nội Trade and Commerce Department, talks to the Government website chinhphu.vn on her department’s resolve to protect the consumers’ rights and interest when they use e-commerce

How have consumers’ rights been protected in e-commerce?

Hà Nội has set a target that by the year 2025, revenue from online retail will be some 10 per cent of the city’s total retail and consumption service revenue. We have also set a target that by 2024, 100 per cent of enterprises will have their own websites to introduce their products to clients. It is reported that up to 85 per cent of Vietnamese enterprises have received orders through their websites. Meanwhile, some 95 per cent of the supermarkets have accepted their customers’ payment through the use of points of sale (POS) systems or other non-cash payment methods.

However, e-commerce has also faced challenges, as quite a few customers have expressed wariness about the quality of goods they have purchased, cheating activities in e-commerce or fear keeping their information confidential in the course of transactions.

Amid the pandemic, e-commerce has become a good choice for many customers. And Hà Nội authorities have realised that it is their responsibility to protect the rights of the city’s consumers using e-commerce as well as genuine businesses. As a result, Hà Nội authorities have launched 'A day of the rights of the consumers' with an objective to fight trade fraud and promote food safety.

What else has Hà Nội been doing to protect consumers using e-commerce?

The city authorities have organised many programmes, including training courses for both enterprises’ authorities and their clients on how to protect their own interests.

In addition, this year, Hà Nội launched a programme helping local consumers know what are their rights, roles and responsibilities in the field of e-commerce.

Have Hà Nội authorities adopted any measures to support consumers?

We have launched quite a few communication campaigns calling on consumers to pay attention to product quality and origins when shopping. In addition, we have advised them to keep their receipts if any mishaps happen after their shopping and they want to claim their money back.

According to the plan, in the near future, we’ll launch many more communication campaigns to help people understand their rights and responsibilities and to act as wise consumers. All we want is to protect the consumers’ rights and interests and to create a healthy and sustainable business environment. VNS