Shopping in Timor-Leste

A merkadu or mercado is a market, a loja is a shop, and vendedór ambulante means a mobile or street seller. Markets, lojas and supermarkets supply groceries, household goods, personal-care products, clothing and imported consumer goods. Availability, prices and opening hours vary by outlet and municipality, and no national standard price list or shop-hours system has been established. Dili has the broadest documented choice. In other municipalities, local markets and small sales points are usually the main channels. Market construction and renovation projects supported by MCI in 2026 include Ermera and Baucau, while work was being prepared in Lautém or Lospalos, Maliana, Ainaro, Suai and Viqueque. The Dili Municipal Authority manages local market rules, including opening hours, markets and mobile selling. Many consumer goods are imported, especially from Indonesia, Singapore, China and Australia. Import and transport conditions can therefore affect availability and prices. Tais, a traditional textile, can be bought directly from local producers and specialist sellers. Mercado do Tais and the Rede Soru Na'in shop at Dili Square are documented sales points, and the shop is open daily from 9:00 to 18:30. Tais production comes from several municipalities, so local products may be available through different channels. US-dollar cash is widely used, particularly outside urban areas. P24 is the national interbank switch, and a P24 debit card can be used at registered ATMs and points of sale regardless of the bank that operates the terminal. Mosan and T-Pay are authorized electronic wallets that support cash-in and cash-out, transfers and QR purchases; Mosan also supports USSD. Agents were present in 67 administrative posts and in 371 of 452 sucos, or 82 percent, in 2022. The Banco Central de Timor-Leste introduced an IPS soft launch on 21 May 2025, while e-Centavos and IPS implementation has been underway since 2024. Fees and provider limits vary, cash is immediate, and P24 or wallet transactions are generally real-time. Wallet-to-wallet interoperability was not yet established in the available research. Online shopping remains fragmented and developing. The available research recorded online purchases by 14 percent of adults, with internet speed and price as major barriers; 96 percent of adults had 3G access and 45 percent had 4G access in the cited data. Timor-Leste has no documented national marketplace, delivery standard, return standard or uniform delivery deadline. Check the seller's identity, total price, delivery time, warranty and withdrawal terms before paying. Keep the electronic record, invoice or other proof of purchase and prefer regulated bank or wallet channels. Do not pay for goods that you did not order. Decree-Law No. 12/2024 recognizes electronic transactions, records, signatures and electronic contracts, and TIC TIMOR acts as the Accrediting Authority. A National E-Commerce Strategy for 2025–2029 was being developed. Law No. 8/2016 applies to goods and services offered professionally by public or private, domestic or foreign providers. It protects life, health, safety, quality, truthful information, economic interests and compensation for damage. Sellers should provide clear information about the product, price, quantity, composition, quality, risks, warranty, delivery and after-sales service. Prices must be shown in the legal national currency, including taxes, and the shelf or display price must be visible. Imported goods need a working-language label and a visible, readable summary in an official language; trade guidance identifies English or Portuguese for the label requirement. For movable, non-consumable goods, the statutory functional and condition guarantee lasts at least one year. For immovable goods, the minimum period is five years. The written guarantee should identify the responsible provider, duration and conditions. Repairs must be free of charge; if repair is impossible or the goods remain unsuitable, the consumer can receive replacement goods or a price refund. The guarantee period pauses while the goods are being repaired. A defect in movable goods should be reported within 30 days after the consumer becomes aware of it. No general in-store return right for a mere change of mind is documented. For sales outside a business premises, correspondence sales and equivalent e-commerce transactions, withdrawal is available within 10 working days with immediate repayment. Unordered goods do not create a payment or return obligation. For a general retail complaint, keep the receipt, contract, product information and payment record, contact the seller first, and then approach the Direção Nacional de Regulação Comercial e Proteção ao Consumidor (DNRCPC), TANE Consumidor or another competent authority when the matter is not resolved. DNRCPC handles consumer information, price monitoring, price simulations and quality coordination. TANE Consumidor represents consumers. No single national online complaint portal was documented. For a telecommunications complaint, contact the telecommunications company first, request a reference number and a response deadline, and contact the ANC Consumer Protection Desk if there is no solution after 15 working days or the response is unsatisfactory; the documented channels are consumerprotection@anc.tl and telephone 3311415. Decree-Law No. 37/2020 regulates the sale, import and production of bags, packaging and plastic objects. An environmental tax applies to importers or buyers of single-use bags and packaging. Labels and traceability must not mislead consumers. Reusable, natural or biodegradable bags, and locally made goods such as tais, can reduce some packaging and transport impacts, but the environmental effect depends on the product and supply chain. Law No. 8/2016 also requires consumers to consider the environmental consequences of their purchases.