"A 30,000-won dress with a 27,000-won return fee?" Can you get a refund for an overseas direct purchase that looks different from the photo? [Consumer Basics]

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[Financial News] #. "It clearly looked like velvet in the photo, but when I received it, it was made of a completely different material."A woman in her 20s, identified as A, was surprised after receiving a dress she had bought from an online shopping mall. In the product photos, it appeared to be made of a velvet-like material, but the item that actually arrived was a thick knit fabric. A immediately asked the seller for a return and refund, but the seller said it was a case of simple change of mind and told her that she would have to cover both domestic round-trip shipping and overseas shipping costs. The total amount A paid was 39,900 won, but the return fee alone came to 27,000 won. In the end, A filed a dispute mediation request with the Korea Consumer Agency (KCA), saying, "I wanted to return it because the product photo and the actual item are different, so it is hard to call this a simple change of mind."
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According to the KCA on the 17th, disputes over differences in clothing material, color, and fit have been increasing as online shopping has become more common. In particular, cases involving overseas delivery items often lead to consumer complaints because the burden of return shipping costs is larger than expected.
The key issue in this case was whether the consumer's return request was simply a change of mind or a valid withdrawal of the offer. Under Article 17 of the Act on the Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce, Etc., consumers may withdraw the offer within seven days of receiving the product. If the product differs from the stated or advertised details, or if it is delivered differently from the contract, withdrawal is also possible within three months of receiving the item. In simple terms, withdrawal of the offer means canceling the transaction. If it is accepted, the purchase contract between the consumer and the seller is treated as if it never existed.
The Dispute Mediation Committee noted that A requested withdrawal of the offer on the same day she received the product. It also considered that the product page did not provide detailed information about the clothing material, leaving the consumer to judge the fabric based only on the photos. In particular, the committee found that the page did not clearly state that the item was an overseas delivery product, and that consumers would have had difficulty recognizing the high overseas return shipping costs. However, the committee also found some responsibility on the consumer's side. Because the clothing was black, it was difficult to identify the material accurately from photos alone, and the description for the same item in a different color on the product page indicated that it was made of knit fabric.
Accordingly, the committee concluded that while there were some issues with the product page's labeling and advertising, the consumer also failed to fully check the product information. In the end, it decided that the seller should refund 33,900 won, excluding 6,000 won in domestic round-trip shipping fees.
\r\n\r\nThe KCA urged consumers to carefully check the withdrawal period and return conditions when buying clothing online. A KCA official said, "Under the law, withdrawal of the offer must be made within seven days of receiving the product," adding, "If the product's value has been damaged by removing tags or wearing it, withdrawal may be restricted. Consumers should also note that, in principle, they must bear return shipping costs for returns due to a simple change of mind."
localplace@fnnews.com Kim Hyun-ji Reporter