Scams and Unwanted Marketing
10 common consumption traps
Updated: Dec 13, 2018
govt.chinadaily.com.cn
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1. Bundling sale
Such traps are extremely common in supermarket promotions. In order to deal expiring or already expired products, merchants implement bundling sales of “buy one get one free” or “buy one get the second half price”. Consumers tend to ignore the expiring date of the product during the purchase, thereby buying expired products.
Solution: Check the expiration date before buying goods, and don't buy expired items.
2. Coupons
This is more common in large shopping malls. It is usually in the form of “spend 100 yuan and get 200 yuan” or “spend 200 yuan and get 400 yuan”. However, the so-called rebate is not in cash, but discount coupons or vouchers. Usually such coupons can only be used when a certain amount of products in certain categories are purchased. This promotion only leads you to spend more.
Solution: Ask about the coupon rules before shopping. Do not buy any unnecessary articles just for the sake of the coupon.
3. Teleshopping
Some of the products in the teleshopping advertisements look better than what you eventually get. Merchants may sell customers inferior products or deliberately exaggerate in the product advertising. These are all deceiving behaviors.
Solution: Be a rational customer and choose trustworthy merchants.
4. Invoice trap
It is well-known that if there is a problem after purchasing the product, you can ask to return the goods on the basis of the invoice. However, in order to avoid responsibility, some merchants would say that they are out of invoice, or use the code instead of the specific name of the product when invoicing, which will lead to the inadequacy of evidence for consumer rights protection.
Solution: Customers must insist on asking for formal invoices when they shop.
5. Final sale on bargain items
Many people may have bought special merchandise for which the merchants often tell consumers that it is the final sale. However, this kind of notification lacks legal basis, and there is no relevant regulation in the Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests of the People’s Republic of China.
Solution: First, negotiate with the merchant to resolve the problem. If the negotiation fails, you can call the local Industry and Commerce Bureau for help.
