The Tribune

By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Randy Rolle, chairman of the Consumer Protection Commission, said DHL representatives were “extremely responsive and provided good insight” as the Commission sought clarity on how taxes and fees will be attributed to orders that qualify for “free shipping” from Amazon.

Mr Rolle advised consumers to “read the fine print” when placing their orders noting that the website provides important information about import fees deposit and charges and the calculation of import fees prior to checkout.

“I encourage consumers to read the fine print, the information is all there and they should take the time to give it a proper read over before making purchases,” said Mr Rolle.

“We want smart consumers that are well informed about their purchases and options.”

The watchdog visited DHL head office last week to gain “clarity” on the service as consumers contacted the agency inquiring about the fee structure for the service provided by DHL and if they will have to pay any additional funds upon delivery.

Mr Rolle in an update about their findings said the company was responsive and the Commission wanted to provide answers to consumer ahead of the busy shopping season.

He said that many consumers order items online during Black Friday and the lead-up to Christmas so he wanted them to be informed about their options.

“We are coming to the peak season right now, persons are going to be online shopping for Thanksgiving, Black Friday and other things for the season so we really wanted to get this cleared up so we can have a smooth holiday season,” explained Mr Rolle.

“We revealed some time ago that shipping companies had the highest volume of complaints this year, so we wanted to be proactive and get ahead of inquiries so everyone is well informed before they make any decisions.”

He maintained that the Commission supports competition and encourages consumers to “shop around” and explore their options when looking for the best deal.

“We support competition and we encourage consumers to shop around and where they can get a good deal, it’s better for them,” said Mr Rolle.

“We just want to ensure that all consumers know their options when they are making these purchases and we want to make sure everything is transparent for them.”

Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer and e-commerce marketplace has begun free delivery on purchases of “eligible products” worth $49 or more currently has no end date.

“The ‘International Free Delivery’ is available on eligible products shipped to The Bahamas (all major islands) and are part of orders worth $49 or more,” Amazon wrote in reply to this newspaper’s inquiries.

“Not all items are eligible for the Free Delivery promotion. Look for ‘FREE Delivery to Bahamas’ when you spend over $49 on ‘eligible items’ throughout your shopping journey.

“Once you have a cart with eligible items and exceed the threshold, you will see the ‘Free Delivery’ promotion option at checkout. The promotion is part of our continuous effort to provide greater value to our customers worldwide, and we have not announced an end date to this promotion.”

This new service has raised concerns among Bahamian retailers, courier companies and freight forwarders about how they will continue to compete with the global online retail giant.

The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce & Employers Confederation (BCCEC) acknowledged that Amazon’s “free delivery” move poses an “imminent threat” to the survival of several local industries.

The private sector body, in a statement, urged Bahamian shipping and freight companies to innovate in response to the competitive threat posed by the world’s largest online retailer and e-commerce marketplace offering free delivery to this nation on all purchases of “eligible products” worth $49 or more.

And it also called on local retailers to consider how they can diversify their offerings, and digitise products and services, to meet consumers in an increasingly digital and online world. “Indeed, with this new initiative from Amazon, there is an imminent threat to the market share and continuity of a variety of sectors,” said the Chamber in a statement.

The Chamber also encouraged merchants to improve their competitiveness by implementing initiatives that benefit consumers, such as loyalty programmes and bulk discounts, to incentivise consumers to shop locally.

Mr Rolle said he supports the chamber’s view and said firms implementing more benefits for consumers would help them to retain their existing clients and attract new clients while making the industry more competitive.