The Consumer Council on Thursday said it had recorded a surge in complaints over logistics services for online shoppers amid the ongoing local boom in e-commerce.

The watchdog received 279 such complaints in the first seven months of the year, an 89 percent increase compared to the 148 in the same period of last year.

It said the complaints included disputes over Hong Kong shoppers wishing to return products and negligent management at self-pickup points that led to packages being lost.

In one case, a customer bought a computer monitor for around 1,650 yuan from a mainland e-commerce platform that claimed to have a “local return” service in support.

However, when the customer tried to return the monitor after finding it to be defective, she was told it was not eligible for the service.

Another customer said his package was taken away by someone else from a self-pickup point after the packages appeared to have been stored unattended in a back alley that was accessible to passers-by.

Kenneth Chan, vice chairman of the watchdog’s committee on sustainability, public affairs and education, said self-pickup points should come with proper handling and secure storage of packages on top of reliable pickup arrangements.

“The council urges the industry to review every step of their operations to ensure they meet their service commitments,” he said.

“This will not only enable them to leverage opportunities from the rapid growth in online shopping but also deliver a smoother and safer shopping experience for consumers.”

Chan also reminded customers to inspect the packages and contact the logistics provider immediately if any damage is found.