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■如果港府能立法加設購物冷靜期，相信可有效降低不良商戶以失實手法欺騙客戶的個案。資料圖片
政府完成有關打擊不良營商手法的公眾諮詢，建議要求有效期在六個月以上的商品或服務合約，設立7天冷靜期。將冷靜期涵蓋的範圍擴展至所有服務，減少欺騙性營商損害消費者利益的機會，有關建議值得支持。政府應該加快立法程序，並完善消費者教育等相關配套，規定產品或服務提供者必須向消費者講解清楚其權利，以推動誠信經商，提升對消費者的保障，維護本港購物天堂的聲譽。
現時有些不良商戶為促銷牟取暴利，通常以提供折扣、禮品等優惠，或以洗腦式游說，威逼利誘消費者購買巨額的商品或服務，部分商戶收取客戶大筆預付款項後突然倒閉，令消費者損失慘重。本港黑店專宰內地「自由行」遊客一度猖獗，政府推出14日的「百分百退款計劃」，之後內地消費者在港購物的投訴大幅減少。若本港市民消費也享有冷靜期的保障，相信以失實手法欺客的情況同樣會銳減。
設立冷靜期，允許消費者要求退貨、退款，或許會增加商戶的經營成本，對中小企影響尤大。但是，商戶應該認識到，消費者利益更有保障，香港的整體營商環境改善，不但本地市民消費更有信心，更願意花錢，還會吸引更多的外地消費者來港購物，將本港消費市場的「餅」做大，商界也會受惠，因此商界應積極看待修例保障消費者。
Cooling-off period for shoppers should be set up to increase consumer protection
The public consultation on the fight against inappropriate trade practices has been completed, and the government recommended a 7 day cooling-off period be allowed for any sale of goods or services which has a contract term of six months or above. Under the recommendation, the coverage of the cooling-off period will be extended to all kinds of services and the risk of consumers' interest being harmed by fraudulent trade practices will thus be minimized. It is a recommendation worth supporting. The government should expedite the legislation process, put in place all other related measures such as consumer education, and require providers of goods and services to clearly explain consumer rights to their customers. These measures promote honest trade practices, increase consumer protection, and safeguard Hong Kong's reputation as a shoppers' paradise.
Currently, some unscrupulous money-grubbing merchants frequently offer benefits such as discounts and gifts in order to sell fast, or employ brainwashing tactics so as to pester or intimidate customers to spend a large sum of money in buying goods or services. Some shops may even wind up their business all of a sudden after having received a large sum of pre-payment, causing a great loss to their customers. There were once numerous cases of local dishonest merchants cheating mainland tourists who were on individual visits; however, after the government had introduced the 14 day 100% refund guarantee scheme, complaints about shopping in Hong Kong launched by mainland consumers greatly reduced. It can thus be believed that if local consumers can also enjoy the protection of a cooling-off period, cases of customers being cheated by fraudulent practices will accordingly decrease significantly.
Setting up a cooling-off period that allows consumers to return goods or services as well as to get refunds will possibly increase the operating cost of merchants; small and medium-sized enterprises in particular will be affected more seriously. However, merchants should understand that more protection for consumers means better overall business environment in Hong Kong. Not only will local shoppers have greater confidence and be more willing to spend, but those from outside the territory will also be lured to shop in Hong Kong. This will expand the size of the local market and benefit the merchants as well. Therefore, the business sector should take a positive attitude towards the legislative change for better consumer protection. ■Translation by 開明 chi.ming818@gmail.com
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