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- Without the right to make mistakes: Russians were offered to ban the return of goods purchased online
Without the right to make mistakes: Russians were offered to ban the return of goods purchased online
In Russia, the return of certain categories of goods in the field of online commerce may be prohibited. This initiative was initiated by the Ministry of Economic Development. The measure is designed to protect entrepreneurs from abuse by consumers. However, this will create additional inconveniences for customers and may negatively affect trust in online commerce, experts warn. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.
Non-refundable items
Maxim Reshetnikov, Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, announced the possibility of introducing "non-refundable tariffs" at a meeting of the Committee on Economic Policy in the Federation Council. He believes that the mechanism can be organized by analogy with airline tickets.
"Maybe, for some groups of goods, we can make some kind of business request for a non-refundable tariff, for example, there is such a thing in air tickets. It seems to me that these are issues that need to be seriously discussed if this will help reduce prices for domestic products," the head of the department said, stressing that this issue is not easy and requires consultations with businesses.
Reshetnikov explained the need for such a measure by the problems faced by entrepreneurs. In particular, businesses often suffer from abuse by consumers and competitors. For example, when they order large shipments and do not redeem them, take clothes before the New Year and return them after the holidays, etc.
"No one controls it. And all this ends up being transferred to the price, and prices turn out to be significantly higher than the cost and than what entrepreneurs are willing to sell honestly for," the minister explained.
The issue of a special procedure for the return of goods purchased online can be considered before the end of the year. According to Reshetnikov, this will be a "real support" for entrepreneurs before the holiday season.
The editorial board of Izvestia sent a request to the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. No response has been received at the time of publication.
Strictly according to the list
The essence of the proposal is a model in which the buyer either chooses to retain the right to return the goods of proper quality within the period prescribed by law, or agrees to a lower price, but without the possibility of refusal, explains Ilya Rusyaev, managing partner of Rusyaev and Partners, lawyer. The agency compares this with the practice of air transportation, where the "non-refundable fare" is directly provided for by the norms of the Air Code.
The rationale for the initiative is based on the fact that with a huge number of online orders, a significant volume of returns of goods of proper quality is recorded, the expert notes.
— This is especially true for clothes and shoes, when customers order several sizes or models, and then return some of the goods. For sellers, this leads to increased costs for logistics, checking the condition of products, and sometimes writing them off," he points out.
According to a study by the Federal Network Trading Society, in 2024 alone, 62% of sellers on marketplaces faced so-called consumer extremism, Maria Koleda, head of the information department of the independent trade union Novy Trud, cites statistics. This creates significant costs for bona fide sellers, who are forced to include them in the final price.
However, there are also risks in the implementation of the initiative, warns the interlocutor of Izvestia. Stores, for example, may start to deliberately inflate prices in order to encourage the choice of a no-refund option, she warns.
"Instead of harsh measures, other solutions can be considered: to improve the identification system for unscrupulous buyers, to improve pre—trial dispute resolution mechanisms, or to introduce partial refunds for certain categories of goods," the expert suggests.
If the initiative is implemented, the list of goods that cannot be returned should be strictly limited.
— It is possible to include in this list unique or personalized products made to order. In any case, consumers should still have the opportunity to check the quality of the purchase upon receipt," the editorial interlocutor is convinced.
Clear rules
The law "On Consumer Rights Protection" establishes the right of the buyer to refuse goods of proper quality within seven days from the moment of its receipt, Ilya Rusyaev reminds. If information about the refund procedure has not been provided, within three months. Purchased personal hygiene items, cosmetics, underwear, food and a number of other goods are not subject to confiscation.
— Without making amendments to the Law on Consumer Rights Protection or expanding the list of non-refundable goods, the implementation of the idea of a "non-refundable tariff" is legally impossible. Any attempts to fix this condition only in the offer or the rules of the marketplace will be null and void under Article 16 of the same law, which prohibits the restriction of consumer rights in comparison with federal regulations," the lawyer explains.
For businesses, adopting such amendments would be a cost-cutting tool. For consumers, this will lead to the need to analyze the terms of the contract more carefully and distinguish between "refundable" and "non-refundable" tariffs, the expert notes.
This will create additional inconveniences for them and may negatively affect their trust in online trading, warns Maria Koleda. It may also affect the incomes of self-employed and platform-employed workers, who depend on a steady flow of orders, she believes.
— In this regard, when introducing tariffs, it is important to ensure full transparency and voluntariness: clearly inform about the consequences of choosing a non-refundable tariff at all stages of making a purchase, including duplicating warnings in electronic receipts and SMS notifications. And also to preserve the unconditional right to return substandard goods," the Izvestia interlocutor points out.
When introducing any new restrictions related to trade in consumer goods, it is necessary to act cautiously, since the line between protecting the legitimate rights of consumers and abusing their rights is very thin, emphasizes Olga Zhiltsova, PhD in Economics, Associate Professor at the Department of Logistics at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation.
"A possible decrease in consumer demand as a result of a negative reaction to the expansion of the list of non—returnable goods will hit entrepreneurs even more than the unscrupulous behavior of some consumers," she draws attention.
At the same time, it is not yet clear in what form the introduction of "non-refundable tariffs" can be implemented specifically for marketplaces and how extensive the list of such goods will be, the expert adds.
— Therefore, we should wait for more precise information about which goods are mentioned in the proposal of the Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Maxim Reshetnikov. This is necessary for all participants in trading through marketplaces — both entrepreneurs and buyers," the economist summarizes.
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