THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Cebu has urged business owners to apply for online promo sales instead of physical promos to protect both consumers and employees from contracting the Covid-19 virus this upcoming Christmas season.
DTI-Cebu Consumer Protection Division Chief Ines Cajegas said online sales promo applications will be approved faster compared to traditional physical sales promos.
“We will be strictly assessing it if the traditional physical promos wouldn’t attract a large crowd,” she said.
Cajegas said they are protecting both the sellers and the buyers.
“Online promos provide ease, comfort and safety to the consumers and to the sellers as well,” she said.
From Nov. 3 to 16, 2020 alone, the DTI-Cebu Provincial Office received 30 promo applications, 10 of which are online promos while 20 are traditional promos.
“We scrutinized these traditional promos very well that it took two to three days to approve them because we require additional control measures to assure compliance with physical distancing and the health and safety protocols,” Cajegas said.
“Generally, our turnaround is one day in approving sales promo applications,” she added.
She said it’s about time business establishments took advantage of online technology to help leverage their enterprises to keep up with the times.
“Yes, that’s the trend now. Most supermarkets, department stores and malls in the key cities are into it. We are campaigning to those stores located in the municipalities to go online promos, especially at this time of the pandemic,” she said.
Cajegas said stores should go digital or automate even in their promos or be left behind by technology.
Last Nov. 11, a footwear store was closed indefinitely after attracting a lot of customers for a super sale allegedly without having proper social distancing measures in place.
Business establishments are forewarned to secure a sales promo permit from the DTI at least 30 days prior to the commencement of the promo and ensure that the promo does not attract a large crowd.
Security staff and marshals shall likewise be vigilant on the compliance with social distancing and other health and safety protocol. (JOB)