90% Discount North Face Padding Bought Impulsively Turns Out to Be Sold Out Soon

106 Consumer Complaints Filed with the Consumer Agency
Purchases Induced Through Social Media
No Response to Consumer Order Cancellation Requests

As demand for jumpers and other winter wear increases due to the cold wave, overseas shopping malls impersonating famous outdoor brands are on the rise. These shopping malls induce purchases by offering excessive discounts or cause harm by not responding to consumers' order cancellations, prompting consumers to exercise caution.

According to the Korea Consumer Agency on the 24th, a total of 106 consultations related to impersonation of famous outdoor brands have been received on the International Transaction Consumer Portal operated by the agency since the first report in early December last year. By brand, The North Face accounted for the most cases with 53, followed by Descente with 20, Discovery with 17, and Kolon Sport with 16.

The Consumer Agency stated that these sites, which use internet addresses (URLs) similar to official websites, attracted consumers through advertisements on social networking services (SNS) such as Instagram. Therefore, if consumers accessed a sales site through ads on unfamiliar shopping malls, Instagram, or YouTube, they should verify through search portals whether the site is operated by the brand or an official distributor.

These impersonation sites appeared to deceive consumers by applying discounts exceeding 90% on clothing items worth tens of thousands of won, claiming to clear out stock. They also stated in their sales terms that withdrawal of subscription is possible and used business information (business registration number, representative’s name, contact details, etc.) identical to those on the official websites.

However, after purchase, order information could not be confirmed, and there was no order cancellation button. Consumers who doubted the site's reliability requested cancellations via email to the sellers but received no response. Additionally, when defective products were delivered and consumers requested refunds, excessive shipping fees were sometimes demanded. The Consumer Agency also sent emails requesting fact verification and resolution of consumer complaints to the sellers but received no replies. It is currently difficult to confirm accurate seller information, making damage relief challenging.

The Consumer Agency recommends that consumers carefully decide whether to purchase brand products sold at excessively low prices, as they are likely counterfeit, and use credit (or debit) cards that allow transaction approval cancellations to prepare for potential damage. They also urge consumers to seek help from the International Transaction Consumer Portal if issues related to overseas shopping malls are not resolved smoothly.