[News Today] E-COMMERCE SITES’ REFUND DELAYS

[LEAD]
Recent issues with Qoo10, a Singapore-based e-commerce giant, have significantly impacted its subsidiaries in Korea, TMON and WeMakePrice.
Customers flocked to 'WeMakePrice' overnight, which is currently facing issues with delayed settlements and refunds. The company's representative made a public apology for the inconvenience. Some customers received their refunds after 3 a.m.


[REPORT]
People are seen packed at the e-commerce site WeMakePrice headquarters.
They're here to get refunds for the products they had paid for via WeMakePrice.

The head of the online marketplace showed up after midnight to the customers' loud protest.

(VOICE MODIFIED)/
I'm here while my children are asleep in the car. Process my refund now.

More than two hundred customers demanded prompt refunds and an explanation on what led to the crisis.

Ryu Hwa-hyun/ Co-CEO, WeMakePrice
I'm sorry for causing the inconvenience. I offer my sincere apology. I will do my best to compensate customer losses.

The greatest damages were experienced by the customers who purchased travel packages.

Cha Byeong-gwan / WeMakePrice customer
The amount is about KRW 3.25 mn (USD 2,350). I bought a tour package but couldn't get through in a call with WeMakePrice.

WeMakePrice customer / (VOICE MODIFIED)
KRW 1.5mn (USD 1,080) isn't a small amount for me just starting a career. I heard many spent up to or even over KRW 10 mn (USD 7,200) for vacations.

WeMakePrice started checking out the complaints at around 2:00 a.m.

Customers were led to offices in groups of twenty where their purchases were confirmed and amounts to be refunded taken down.

Some customers started getting their refunds past 3:00 a.m.

TMON customers were also there to demand their money back.

TMON customer/ (VOICE MODIFIED)
There's no one at TMON office. The employees started working at home two days ago and the office was closed. I came here to get a refund.

Those who personally filed complaints at the WeMakePrice headquarters are getting their refunds first.

While the shopping platform still needs to give money back to those who weren't able to file their refund requests, some customers are thinking about demanding damage compensation.