Consumer Agency Analyzes 954 Damage Relief Applications from 2018 to 2020
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Recently, as more consumers purchase air conditioners online, it has been revealed that there are many consumer damages related to installation.
On the 13th, the Korea Consumer Agency analyzed 954 air conditioner-related damage relief applications received from 2018 to last year. According to the analysis, requests related to 'installation,' such as leaks due to inadequate installation by the business operator or excessive installation fees, accounted for the largest portion at 39.8%. This was followed by 'quality' issues such as poor cooling, noise, and odors at 29.9%, and complaints related to after-sales service (AS), including dissatisfaction with repairs and excessive repair costs, at 13.3%.
In particular, for air conditioners purchased through electronic commerce, installation-related cases accounted for 47.5% of all damage relief applications. In the case of general sales through department stores and the like, 33.9% of damage relief applications were related to installation. By period, due to the nature of air conditioners mainly used in summer, 50.8% of damage relief applications were concentrated between June and August.
The Consumer Agency explained, "When buying air conditioners through electronic commerce, the manufacturer does not install the product directly; instead, the seller often contracts a separate service company to install the air conditioner. It was found that disputes over excessive installation fees frequently occur in these cases."
To prevent damage, the Consumer Agency urged consumers to check contract details at the time of purchase, including product components, basic installation fees and any additional installation fees, and whether compensation is provided in case of installation defects. They also advised that when installing an air conditioner, consumers should thoroughly discuss the installation location, method, and costs with the installation technician beforehand and immediately verify normal operation after installation.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
