Irish holidaymakers warned about buying electronics abroad

Irish holidaymakers are being warned about buying electronics while overseas.

The European Consumer Centre in Ireland reported a 75% rise in complaints in 2014 in relation to unscrupulous electronic sellers operating in Spain.

Consumers looking to buy items such as cameras or tablets were targeted with aggressive selling practices, while others were misled into paying inflated prices.

In addition, there were multiple reports of traders luring customers with discounted offers on certain products, only to talk them into buying allegedly superior products at a much higher price.

Often, consumers returned home to find the items were worth significantly less than what was paid. Others found they were charged more than the agreed price at the till or that the item’s performance began to deteriorate rapidly in the weeks after purchase.

Grace Duffy from EEC Ireland said the issue has worsened in recent months.

“It has been an ongoing problem for a little while now,” said Ms Duffy. “We’ve seen a significant increase in the number of complaints we’ve recorded. It’s definitely something that needs to be highlighted.”

In one reported case, an elderly couple on holiday in the Canary Islands bought a tablet computer for €700.

The trader also invited them to attend a demo to learn how to use the device. The couple were taken to a warehouse and then pressured into buying additional items. When they returned to Ireland, they discovered their credit card had been charged €6,250 by the traders.

While they were able to seek redress for this through their credit card company, they were unable to recoup the cost of the tablet.

In another case, a woman paid €1,607 for a tablet and additional items. Upon her return to Ireland, it was revealed the overall value of the items was less than €300.

The woman’s son wrote a letter of complaint to the trader and was offered a refund that was never received. ECC Ireland sought assistance from their sister office in Spain, but the trader refused to respond to their efforts.

Ms Duffy explained untrustworthy traders will often focus on older people, hoping for an easy mark.

“A lot of consumers being targeted are elderly or what we would call vulnerable consumers,” she said. “Traders tend to target them, especially in relation to electronics, thinking they may not know about technology as much as younger consumers. A lot of people are left out of pocket though some are able to get some form of redress. Sometimes the officers in Spain are able to get in touch with a trader and help resolve issues.”

Consumers have also reported problems when looking to buy cameras or camera equipment.

One man, on holiday in Tenerife, paid €484 for a camera which he was led to believe was a high-quality brand worth almost €1,000.

On his return to Ireland, he discovered the camera was worth significantly less.

ECC Spain contacted the trader who eventually offered a partial refund to the customer.

If customers do intend to buy products abroad, ECC Ireland urge them to pay using secure methods such as a credit card as this may offer some additional redress in the event of a problem.

“A lot of people feel pressured into making purchases so if you feel they are insisting you buy something, it’s best just to take a step back and take some time to think it over,” said Ms Duffy. “Any reputable trader will allow you the time to reflect and consider your options.”

For more information, log onto eccireland.ie, follow @eccireland on Twitter, or phone on 01 8797620