Air Conditioner Consumer Inquiries Up 133.7%... Hotels and Pensions Also 'Surging'

Consumer Agency Analyzes 51,528 Cases from Last Month

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] As more people purchase air conditioners due to the early heat, consumer consultations related to air conditioners have also significantly increased.

On the 16th, the Korea Consumer Agency announced that among the 51,528 consumer consultations received by the 1372 Consumer Counseling Center last month, consultations related to air conditioners increased by 133.7% compared to the previous month. There were many inquiries about how to resolve damages that occurred during air conditioner installation.

Consultations related to hotels and pensions increased by 53.8%, and those related to electric washing machines increased by 45.3%. Among these, accommodation-related consultations often involved contract cancellation refusals or refund delays.

Compared to June of last year, the consultation increase rates were highest for new-type gift certificates (34%), mobile information usage services (29.3%), and various interior facilities (17.7%). For new-type gift certificates, including online and mobile gift certificates, inquiries about refund delays and refusals increased.

Based on the number of consultations last month, the most frequent were similar investment advisory services (2,345 cases), mobile phone services (1,787 cases), and health clubs (1,423 cases).