1 Public FTAA.ecom/inf/122 February 13, 2002 Original: English

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7 Business Guidance Government Enforcement & Cooperation

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9 Surf Days To: From: Subject: A message from law enforcers from 20 countries If you do business in any of the following countries, you may be interested to know that pyramid schemes are illegal... Government Enforcement & Cooperation

10 Consumer Protection in E-Commerce Strong consumer protection laws and regulations Enforcement in the context of e-commerce Domestic and international coordination Self-regulation is a critical component Consumer education helps consumers avoid problems Business education helps e-businesses comply Government Enforcement & Cooperation

Consumer Efforts: Protecting Consumers Online is a Shared Responsibility Susan Grant Vice President for Public Policy National Consumers League

12 A Successful Online Marketplace from the Consumer Perspective Clear, complete and accurate information about vendor and offer on Web sites Good customer service Effective protection from fraud and abuse Privacy and security of personal information Practical recourse for complaints Consumer Efforts

13 Consumers International Online Shopping Surveys Nearly 20% of vendors failed to give clear total cost 37% did not provide immediate confirmation of order 12% of orders arrived late 6% never arrived at all 9% never made refunds for returned items Consumer Efforts

14 National Consumers League Online Shoppers Surveys Security and privacy greatest concerns Delivery and misrepresentation most common problems Consumers are confused –51% did not know delivery rights –55% thought that they had 3 days to cancel –59% did not understand credit card dispute rights Consumer Efforts

15 Consumer Perspective on ADR Must be easy to access Free or very low-cost Easy to use Fair Transparent Not ask consumers to waive legal rights Consumer Efforts

16 Why Ask What Consumer Groups Think? Provide insight based on direct contact with consumers Contribute valuable information from studies and surveys Bring balance of views on issues Promote mutual understanding and cooperation For example: TACD Working Group on E-Commerce ( Consumer Efforts