Online second-hand transactions, we must protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers (people concerned)

  Our reporter Shen Tongrui 

  In recent years, online second-hand trading platforms have become very popular with consumers. Sellers have handled idle items and reused them. Buyers have saved money, and everyone is happy.

However, due to the particularity of second-hand transactions, on some online second-hand transaction platforms, users are deceived from time to time.

  According to Liu Ying, a professor at the School of Law of Jinan University, there are currently two main operating modes for online second-hand trading platforms: one is that the platform recycles second-hand items, and after inspection and disinfection procedures, they are open to users for purchase; the other is consumption. For direct transactions between buyers and sellers, the platform only provides corresponding information, and the transaction process is communicated by the buyer and the seller.

The reporter's survey found that the latter model is more common, but the risk is also higher.

  The quality of goods is not guaranteed, which is the most worrying issue for buyers.

Ms. Lan bought a second-hand wireless headset on a certain platform. The seller sent in advance the product serial number, official website purchase record and other information. Ms. Lan thought it was genuine, so she paid for the purchase, but after getting the headset, she felt that the sound quality was poor. Ms. Lan After consulting the store, I discovered that the headset turned out to be fake.

Consumers also reported that they once met a seller who claimed to have bought a pair of brand-name sneakers because of "impulse consumption", "new and unopened", hoping to change hands at a low price, and also released information such as box photos, receipts and other information.

But after the buyer got the goods and unpacked them, they found obvious signs of wear on the soles, which was obviously not "new" as the seller claimed.

  After-sales service becomes a problem, which is also a common problem encountered by consumers.

Zhang Li, a professor at the School of Civil and Commercial Law of Southwest University of Political Science and Law, stated that according to regulations, sellers on traditional e-commerce platforms should assume responsibility for the quality of their products and provide corresponding after-sales services. The sale of goods provides after-sales service such as warranty, and does not support the unreasonable return and exchange that is common in the traditional e-commerce model.

This was originally considering that sellers selling idle items were not professional operators. However, some merchants took advantage of this and pretended to be individual users, selling new products in the name of selling idle items, thereby evading after-sales service responsibility.

  There are even some criminals who use second-hand transactions to commit fraud.

Mr. Xu from Haining City, Zhejiang Province once fancyed a stylus on a platform. When consulting product information, sellers suggested that they add WeChat to each other to communicate details. “Sellers have repeatedly stated that off-platform transactions can save a fee, and the price of the product will be reduced. It can be lower. So I transferred the 700 yuan payment directly to his WeChat. I didn't expect the seller to disappear and not deliver the goods. WeChat also blocked me."

  Under normal circumstances, online second-hand trading platforms can realize fund custody. Once a problem occurs, the platform can intervene in time to stop the loss.

However, some criminals use every possible means to induce consumers to leave the platform for private transactions on the grounds of saving handling fees and discounting products.

Mr. Xu said that most of the platforms now remind users not to trade off the platform or trade offline, but some new users are either ignorant of the situation, or greedy for cheap, or fall into the trap and are often fooled.

  Second-hand transactions must pay attention to protecting the legitimate rights and interests of consumers.

Zhang Li said that the platform should earnestly perform its responsibilities, not only to register and verify the information of sellers who sell goods and provide services, but also to establish a sound credit evaluation system to publicize penalties for violations of operators on the platform.

Liu Ying suggested that the platform should establish a second-hand goods quality appraisal system, assess the quality of goods through authoritative institutions, and prevent counterfeit and inferior goods from being mixed into the second-hand trading market. The respective responsibilities, rights and obligations of the operators".

  Experts remind consumers to pay close attention to platform rules, seller authentication, historical transaction records, credit ratings and other information before trading to avoid trading off the platform.

It is necessary to strengthen the awareness of evidence, pay attention to obtaining original invoices or purchase vouchers and product qualification certificates, etc., and report to the police or report on the platform in time when encountering fraud.