Ifugao folks warned vs unscrupulous sellers

By Daniel Codamon

LAGAWE, Ifugao--  The Department of Trade and Industry here warned consumers and other gullible individuals  in the province about unscrupulous vendors selling products and other goods door to door.

DTI Provincial Director Valentin Baguidudol said they received some reports about this kind of activity in which the sellers dupe the buyers or their consumers into buying their underweight or defective products .

These sales persons allegedly  identify  themselves  as employees of the DTI in order to gain entry into the homes of the unsuspecting victims.

This kind of deceptive sales act or practice is a violation of the Consumer Act of the Philippines when the distributor misrepresents the products or goods he is selling in terms of quantity, quality or grade,  he explained.

What makes this act disadvantageous to the consumer is that after the sale, the buyer would not know where to look for the salesman if he files a complaint since the sale was made at his house and often the address on the receipts issued are fictitious or belong to legitimate businesses who did not participate in the act.

The DTI advised consumers to buy their products only from reputable business establishment which have a known retail track record in order not to fall prey on this kind of deception and to report the act to the nearest police station or the DTI office for the filing of administrative case against the perpetrator.

However, the DTI  clarified that door to door sales are not prohibited but the sales agent must first secure a Home Solicitation Sales Permit before they can engage in the activity and the consumers should also ask the sellers to present their identification papers to confirm their identity and the establishment they represent.

Without the permit and identification the buyers should be discouraged from buying, the DTI added.