Abu Dhabi: The Saudi Ministry of Commerce has blocked two online stores for breaking e-commerce laws by providing fake offers to consumers and not delivering their products within the period specified by law, local media reported.
The ministry received complaints from consumers about an online store that sells electronic devices, and it continued to implement sales and delay delivery of sold goods to buyers within the specified period.
The Ministry blocked the website of the store, in addition to continuing to process the pending purchases, as 329 requests are processed, with a total sales of more than 700,000 riyals.
It also blocked an online store without a license for submitting fake offers to sell smartphones in installments through its website, luring buyers to obtain an advance payment of the total value, and then blocking them as soon as the required amount is transferred.
As soon as the ministry detected the store’s involvement in deceiving and misleading consumers and claiming to have obtained a license to engage in the activity of selling in installments, its website was blocked, the ministry said.
The Ministry of Commerce confirmed its continuous monitoring of violations of electronic stores to protect the rights of consumers, create a competitive and fair trade environment, impose legal penalties on violating stores that reach a fine of one million riyals, blocking offending sites, and preventing them from practicing activity.
It also urged members of the public to buy from trusted stores, and to report the violating stores through its app, by phone or through its website.
It called on traders to review the e-commerce system and its regulations.
