Helping consumers with technology

The State Administration for Market Regulation has released data showing that various consumers' associations nationwide had received 1.04 million complaints and resolved 836,000 of those, saving consumers from losses worth 1.52 billion yuan ($239.3million).

Ever since its national organization was founded in 1984, consumers' associations have played a key role in protecting consumers. Some argue that various government departments exist to help consumers: the price monitoring center addresses price disputes; quality monitoring departments help with quality issues; and should anyone be forced to buy something, they can always call the police.

However, not every consumer is a legal expert who knows whom to approach for help. When ordinary consumers face problems, the safest bet for them is to call a hotline and seek help. That's where consumers' associations at all levels can play a major role. By simply calling a short, five-digit number, 12315, consumers can at least find out which department they should approach for their specific problem.

As an officially registered organization, the association can also take up consumer's cases directly with the departments concerned. They can even mobilize more resources to protect consumer's rights. For example, by annually holding consumers' rights protection nights with media outlets on March 15, when facts about certain problematic brands will be made public. They can in this way put pressure on the brands to better respect consumers' rights.

The consumers' association is only one of the organizations that can help consumers, while hotlines are a way of sending help. With social media prospering and new technologies available, one can even seek help online for redressing consumers' disputes, from social media groups where those facing problems can exchange notes with others who have faced similar problems and found solutions. Consumers' associations can work with these new mediums to innovate consumers' rights protection to make it better and more efficient.