(Photo= Yonhap news)

 

[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Sangjin] Coupang has introduced a new feature to confirm consumer consent regarding the upcoming monthly subscription fee increase for its 'Wow Membership', scheduled to take effect in one month. Amid suspicions that consumers were informed of the price hike in a manner that was difficult to understand, competition authorities have begun investigating, prompting Coupang to take voluntary corrective actions.

On the 9th, Coupang announced through its newsroom that it had added a new feature to confirm consumer consent for the membership fee increase, which will be implemented from the 7th of next month. Coupang plans to raise the membership price from the current 4,990 won to 7,890 won starting August 7th. However, it was found that they did not adequately inform consumers about their consent regarding the fee change.

To protect consumer choice, it is essential to inform them about any fee increases in advance and obtain their consent. Since May, the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has been investigating whether this consent process has been conducted in a manner that consumers find difficult to comprehend or as a 'dark pattern'.

The statement released by Coupang regarding the 'consent confirmation feature' on this day is seen as a voluntary correction in response to the start of the FTC's investigation.

 

 

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