By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas’ consumer watchdog yesterday sounded the alarm over a “number of complaints” that local couriers and freight forwarders are failing to deliver electronic and other goods ordered for Christmas.

The Consumer Protection Commission, in a public advisory, warned of concerns that electronic items and other products ordered online are going “missing with no accountability or compensation from the freight forwarder” after being sent to US shipping addresses from where they are to either be collected or shipped on to The Bahamas.

Senator Randy Rolle, the Commission’s chairman, said it has received complaints about missing “high price” electronics, such as iPads and laptops, involving more than three Bahamian shipping companies. He added that notices have been sent to the firms subject to the complaints, but the volume of concerns and seasonal increase in online shopping prompted the public advisory.

“We would have sent out notices to businesses that we would have received complaints about,” Mr Rolle said. “However, we believe that a general notice is necessary because if any other consumers out there are experiencing this we want them to come forward. And we want the public to be extra cautious given the time of year it is, when the rate of persons purchasing stuff online would definitely increase.”

Urging Bahamian couriers and freight forwarders to pay closer attention to activity at their US warehouses and collection points, Mr Rolle maintained that the Commission is not attempting to “take away” from any local business but needs consumers to be vigilant as they make online purchases.

“We’ve had complaints about more than three companies. We especially find it in high-priced electronic goods, iPads, laptops, these things. And so even if it’s an internal issue within their US addresses, then that’s something that the freight forwarders need to look into,” he said.

“But we want to be able to document it, and we want Bahamian consumers to pay close attention to it, not trying to take away from anyone. But it’s sufficient where we want persons to pay special attention.”

The watchdog, in its advisory, said: “The Consumer Protection Commission wishes to advise the general public that it has received a number of complaints involving the non-delivery of electronic goods ordered online for deliveries to courier companies in the US for onward forwarding to The Bahamas.

“The trend is as follows: After making online purchase(s), consumers in The Bahamas would specify a US address as a place of delivery of the goods. Shortly after the package(s) arrive to the identified address, the consumer receives an e-mail notifying that the delivery was made.

“However, before items can be transferred from the delivery address onward to The Bahamas, the packages go missing with no accountability or compensation from the freight forwarder.” The Commission encouraged persons that have not received their electronic devices from local shipping companies to contact them as well as the shipping company and the local police department.

“If you are a victim of this, the Commission urges you to contact the courier, the police department in the jurisdiction where the incident occurred and notify us immediately to help you navigate through such circumstances,” said the Commission statement.

Mr Rolle, meanwhile, explained that both the shipping companies and the Commission do investigations when a complaint is lodged.

“Courier companies do their own internal investigations, and likewise, when we get complaints, we would also do our investigations given the information that was passed on to us from the consumers. Recently, we’ve received a number of them, sufficient that we believe a public advisory is the right cause of action, especially given the time,” he added;.

“Once everyone does the due diligence, and if the evidence points that someone in your company signed off to say they received it, then by all means, you were responsible. The consumer, they don’t care how you get resolved, they just want to be compensated if, in fact, the item made it to the destination that you would have given them.”

Tribune Business contacted a local shipping company for feedback about the advisory, and the manager confirmed that lost or missing packages are investigated internally and compensation is given to consumers when appropriate.

“When a complaint is filed, we pass that on for an internal investigation and, depending on the results, they get a refund,” they said. When asked if they have seen an increase in complaints recently, they declined to comment and indicated they would not consent to be interviewed or discuss any ongoing issues with consumers.