A, 40, who lives in Gyeonggi Province, recently went days without receiving the hairtail they ordered online. After checking with the delivery company, they found the fish had been delivered to the wrong place, not A's home. The hairtail was found late, but because it had been left at room temperature for a long time, it was all spoiled. A asked the delivery company for compensation but was refused. After reporting the damage to the Korea Consumer Agency (KCA), A was able to get a refund for the hairtail from the delivery company.
As the Lunar New Year approaches and parcel volumes rise, the likelihood of consumer harm is also growing. In this regard, the Korea Consumer Agency (KCA) advised on the 13th that it is best to keep documentation to prepare for loss or damage of goods. The Korea Consumer Agency (KCA) is an institution that mediates conflicts between companies and consumers throughout the overall consumption process.
There are two main ways the Korea Consumer Agency (KCA) resolves consumer losses. The first is the "damage relief process." Damage relief is the process in which the Korea Consumer Agency (KCA) steps in regarding the harm suffered by a consumer and asks the business operator to explain. To prove the delivery company's fault, the required materials are: ▲ the waybill with the item name recorded ▲ the purchase receipt ▲ photos of the product taken immediately after delivery was completed.
Consumers must submit these materials to the Korea Consumer Agency (KCA) to have a strong chance of getting a refund from the delivery company through the agency. Excluding holidays, this damage relief process can be completed in as little as 30 days. It is said that about half of all cases reach a settlement during the damage relief process.
If the issue is not resolved this way, the case moves to "dispute mediation." This is the second method the Korea Consumer Agency (KCA) uses to address consumer loss. Like the damage relief process, it coordinates the positions of both the consumer and the business. However, dispute mediation differs in that fact-finding and consultations with an expert committee are added. Also, if an agreement is reached in this process, it has the same effect as a court settlement. The time required, however, is double that of the damage relief process at 60 days.
Meanwhile, there is a key precondition for getting a refund this way. If the product is damaged or spoiled, the delivery company must be notified within 14 days from the date of receipt. Under the standard parcel contract terms, the delivery company has no obligation to compensate after that.