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SINGAPORE: Expedia Singapore operator has ceased false claims about the validity period of “daily deals” promotions on its website, said the Competition and Consumers Commission of Singapore (CCCS).
BEX Travel Asia, the operator of the travel site, also “pledged not to engage in further unfair practices” as of Thursday (November 12), the competition regulator said.
“Such false claims regarding promotional prices mislead consumers into believing that there is a price benefit that is only available for a limited period, thus creating unjustified pressure or a sense of urgency for consumers to make a purchase. immediate, “CCCS said.
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In April 2019, CCCS launched an investigation into “daily deals” promotions on Expedia Singapore’s website, as well as emails sent to consumers subscribed to the BEX mailing list.
The operator announced certain “daily hotel deals” and “daily package deals” which were rendered as “Special offers for 24 hours only!” it would expire at the end of the day.
However, investigations revealed that there were at least 55 such offers where promotional prices remained the same the following day.
This was contrary to their representation that “These hot deals change every day at 12am (Singapore time),” said CCCS.
Offers were also found to be represented as “Special Offers for 24 Hours Only”. It expired in less than 24 hours, a shorter period of time than the website represents, CCCS said.
The false claims about BEX promotions took place since 2016 and had ceased as of October last year.
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CCCS said it issued a warning to BEX for its violations and accepted BEX’s commitment to comply with the Consumer Protection (Fair Trade) Act.
BEX is also committed to taking immediate action to end any unfair practices that violate the Act, as consumers are informed about promotions that can be booked through the Expedia Singapore website.
BEX said it would also ensure that promotions booked through Expedia Singapore’s website are not advertised as:
– Available for a limited period of time even if the promotion is
it is expected to remain available after this period of time; Y
– Valid for a specific period of time in which the promotion may cease before the specific period of time expires, unless the limited availability of the promotion is clearly stated.
