FTA

1
(No Transcript)
2
Presentation onGovernment Policies on Consumer
Protectionat the Asian Symposium on Direct
Selling, 29-30 Sep 2003

• By Stephen Loke
• President, Centre for Corporate Social
  Responsibility and Partner, Loke Seah

3
Direct Selling/Door-to-door sales

• Advantages
• An age old industry
• Bringing choice to consumers
• Save time and travelling costs
• Convenient as doorstep service

4
Problems with direct selling

• Impersonation of government officials of
  utilities board, housing board, etc to gain sales
• Pushing sales of water heaters, rubbish cute,
  doors, iron grilles, stainless steel pots and
  pans, vacuum cleaners when consumers cannot make
  brand or price comparison on the spot.

5

• High-pressure selling tactics
• Hard sell sales pitch
• Aggressive and intimidating sales techniques
• Undue harassment or coercion
• Persistent, pushing salesmen, refuses to leave
• Consumers fickle
• The final act the sympathy card

6
Consumer protection legislation in Singapore

• Existing
• The Consumer Protection (Trade Description and
  safety Requirements) Act, 1975
• Unfair Contract Terms Act
• The Misrepresentation Act
• The Sale of Goods Act
• The Penal Code
• The Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and
  Nuisance) Act
• Impending
• The Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act, 2003

7
Voluntary Aspects/ self regulation

• Public commitments by firms which extend beyond
  those obligations found in law
• Commitments are embodied in voluntary codes
• Cooling off period
• Disclosure of information
• HIT
• Honesty
• Integrity
• Transparency
• Direct Selling Associations working with consumer
  groups
• White listing

8
Business Excellence
Competition Law
Fair Trading
CSR
Public Relations
9
Business Excellence
Consumer Confidence