Abstract
With the expansion of the used and stock goods market in modern economies, the need for legal protection for consumers in this area is increasingly felt. Stock goods pose specific challenges in contractual relations between the seller and the buyer due to characteristics such as history of use, possibility of defects, and lack of transparency in technical condition. This study, using a comparative approach, examines the regulations, institutions, and legal culture of consumer protection in the two legal systems of Iran and the United States. The findings of the study show that both systems have accepted principles such as honesty, transparency, contractual liability, and compensation for damages, but there are significant differences in implementation. In Iran, the weakness in formulating specific regulations for stock goods, the lack of a specialized regulatory body, and the low level of public awareness have caused practical protection for consumers to be at a lower level than desired. In contrast, the United States has been able to create a trust-building environment in the used goods market by utilizing technical standards, legal guarantees, and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. The present study, through a comparative analysis of the regulations and institutions of the two countries, provides suggestions for reforming the legal structure, strengthening executive institutions, and promoting consumer legal culture in Iran.