World Convenience? Inconvenient, according to the Guarantor. Here because
Three million fine for Mondo Convenienza. All the details of the decision of the Market and Competition Authority
Fine of 3 million and 200 thousand euros for Iris srl, owner of the Mondo Convenienza brand. The Competition and Market Authority has accused the company, active in the retail and wholesale sale of furniture, household appliances and other furnishing accessories, of two unfair commercial practices: the delivery of defective or damaged products and one which did not adequate after-sales assistance. The investigation was started in September 2023 after numerous reports had arrived in Piazza Verdi – since February of the same year – from consumers and the associations Altroconsumo, Codici, U.di.Con. and Adiconsum.
THE CONDUCT CONTESTED BY THE ANTITRUST A MONDO CONVENIENZA
At the center of the investigation that led to the sanction, as we said, were two different behaviors. In fact, the Authority has ascertained that Mondo Convenienza delivers products that are defective or damaged or do not correspond to the purchase order so much so that it is not possible to use them. Furthermore, the company does not provide timely and suitable after-sales assistance, despite – we read in the closure provision – "complaints from consumers regarding the delivery of defective and/or damaged products or products that do not correspond to the order or with missing pieces or with incorrect measures, to resolve the problems reported by consumers and this also in cases where the consumer requested the activation of the guarantee". Obstacles are then created for customers who ask to have both the legal and conventional guarantee recognized for products without the durability requirement, or by providing for very strict deadlines for requesting assistance or charges, including economic ones, to be borne by the consumer "for the activation and recognition of the guarantee or for the replacement of defective products or those that do not correspond to the purchase order and, more generally, in obstacles to the exercise of contractual rights".
WORLD'S OBSERVATIONS CONVENIENCE
In its defense Mondo Convenienza argued that "the delivery of defective or non-compliant goods to customers is an exceptional event that goes beyond any possible prediction. As regards the over 500 thousand complaints received in the period February-September 2023, the company stated that these are "completely physiological and normal" data, taking into account the nature and composition of the goods sold because "the calculation of anomalies it would concern each individual piece, considered in isolation and not the product sold as a whole". However, in the event of total or partial disservice ascertained or delay in resolving the reported problems, Mondo Convenienza responded to intervene by evaluating, on a case-by-case basis, the anomaly, the delay and the customer's requests. Depending on the case – he assured – it provides discounts or bonuses to be used immediately or on future purchases.
THE AUTHORITY'S ASSESSMENTS
A defense which, however, did not convince the Authority given the outcome of the investigation. “Consumer reports do not concern sporadic cases but are symptomatic of a broad phenomenon concerning the delivery of defective, incomplete, non-compliant or non-compliant products” writes the Antitrust in the provision, adding that also the results of the The inspection activities highlighted the company's awareness of the existence of these inefficiencies.
Similarly, we note "the lack of effective after-sales assistance to resolve customer problems and the absence of suitable compensatory measures, as attested by the report from which 165 thousand complaints emerge" which concern the reminder for the lack of assistance . Even the figure of over 500 thousand complaints in the months February-September 2023 takes on "particular relevance" if we consider that in 8 months more than half a million consumers reported having suffered "significant inconvenience". Not only that: the "large number" of complaints that continue to arrive in Piazza Verdi "testifies to the incorrect conduct" of Mondo Convenienza. A behavior, moreover, which is "the reflection of the commercial objective of increasing the sale of products, even in the presence of company shortcomings in the management of deliveries and after-sales assistance".
In short, according to the Agcm, the numerous reports from consumers and associations and the inspection documentation confirm "the adoption of various incorrect and seriously harmful behaviors for consumers, in different phases of the relationship between the company and customers, starting from the lack of diligence in the product delivery phase to arrive at the obstacle to the exercise of contractual rights "when the consumer notices the defective, incomplete, non-compliant or non-corresponding product to the order but does not receive the necessary assistance".
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/economia/mondo-convenienza-sconveniente-secondo-il-garante-ecco-perche/ on Thu, 28 Mar 2024 10:03:17 +0000.