Consumers are "reversely wiped zero" by merchants? This really compares!

　　【People's Livelihood Investigation Bureau】

　　Editor's note: This is the People's Livelihood Investigation Bureau.

Pay attention to what you want to pay attention to and what you don't pay attention to, and investigate what you want to see and what you haven't seen.

　　China News Service, October 12th (Xie Yiguan, reporter from China News and Finance) Consumers often encounter the situation of "wiping zero" when they go to the vegetable market to buy vegetables or go to the snack bar to buy non-staple food.

Originally, this was a kind behavior of the merchants to benefit the people, but some people took the opportunity to "reverse wipe zero" on consumers. It seems that they only charged a few cents more, but in fact they seriously violated consumers. rights to information, choice and fair dealing.

"Reverse wipe zero" is not an exception

　　"The consumption of 930.9 yuan was charged 931 yuan." Recently, the experience of a man in Dalian has attracted widespread attention on the Internet, and even made a hot search on Weibo.

　　It is understood that the man and his friends went to a restaurant in Shahekou District, Dalian, for a total of 930.9 yuan. When paying, the merchant was "reversely erased" and was charged an extra dime.

After the incident, the Dalian Municipal Market Supervision Bureau filed an investigation against the restaurant in accordance with the Price Law.

　　The incident of "reverse wipe zero" in Dalian has not subsided. Recently, consumer Aileen (pseudonym) reported to the reporter of Zhongxin Finance that she also encountered a similar situation when eating in a restaurant in Foshan, Guangdong.

　　According to Aileen's description, she found out that the fee was "tricky" after paying the bill. The bill showed that the five dishes plus rice, paper towels, etc. cost a total of 148.8 yuan, but the fee was 149 yuan.

Screenshot of the bill provided by Erin.

Photo courtesy of the interviewee

　　Consumers Xiao Huang were also overcharged for eating at restaurants.

Recently, when she ate at a restaurant in Nantong, Jiangsu, the original amount of 245.5 yuan became 246 yuan when she was charged.

When Xiao Huang asked the cashier why he charged 50 cents more, the cashier said that the system automatically "rounded up".

　　"I didn't notice this situation before." Xiao Huang told reporters that he had been to this store once before, but this time he took a look because he had to get a lottery ticket.

　　Not just restaurants, according to netizens, there are many cases of "reverse wipe zero" in life: "buying clothes for 124.5 yuan, charged 125 yuan", "taking a taxi for 30.5 yuan, charging 31 yuan", "driving refueling, Encountered multiple 'reverse wipe zeros'".

It is illegal to "reverse wipe zero" when collecting money!

　　The reporter learned that when Irene and Xiao Huang consume, they pay by scanning the code.

"If it is cash payment, there may be no change, but under mobile payment, even two decimal places can be settled." Some netizens can't help but question why there is still a "reverse wipe zero" under the popularity of mobile payment "?

Data map Photo by Zhang Hengwei

　　Dalian Municipal Market Supervision Bureau also stated that in the case of traditional cash transactions, "wiping zero" originally refers to the goodwill behavior of operators to "benefit the people" in order to reduce the trouble of changing cash and reduce the pressure of reconciliation.

Nowadays, mobile payment methods are becoming more and more popular and convenient. Consumers pay through WeChat, Alipay and other methods, and operators can completely achieve "precise deduction".

However, individual operators use the unspoken rule of "reverse wiping zero" to "compete with the people for profits", which seriously violates consumers' right to know, right to choose and right to fair trade.

　　"my country's currency is accurate to the quantile. When there is a measurement standard such as quantile, this 'rounding' payment method is not acceptable. If you 'reverse zero', you damage the rights of consumers." Yan Bing, a partner of Beijing Times Jiuhe Law Firm, also told a reporter from Zhongxin Finance and Economics.

　　In Yan Bing's view, this behavior of the merchant also violates the "Price Law of the People's Republic of China".

　　Article 13 of the "Price Law of the People's Republic of China" stipulates that in selling, purchasing commodities and providing services, operators shall clearly mark the price in accordance with the regulations of the competent pricing department of the government, indicating the commodity name, place of origin, specification, grade, pricing unit, price Or the service items, charging standards and other related circumstances.

Operators are not allowed to sell commodities at an additional price in addition to the listed price, and are not allowed to charge any unmarked fees.

　　Previously, the Dalian Municipal Market Supervision Bureau also warned operators that "reverse erasing zero" is a violation of laws and regulations of "selling goods or providing services at a higher price than the listed price".

Data map: Consumers in the store use mobile phone self-checkout.

Photo by Yin Liqin

Is it difficult to defend rights after being "reverse wipe zero"?

Expert:

　　"Reverse erasure" infringes on the rights of consumers, but when consumers communicate with merchants, they often encounter various obstacles.

　　"I communicated with the merchants, and they just smiled. I guess they often do this, and they didn't say they would refund the money." Irene told reporters.

　　After raising an objection, Xiao Huang told the merchant, "I can call 12345 to complain in your situation," and the merchant returned 50 cents to her.

　　In addition, according to consumers, some merchants said that the amount was too small to be refunded, and candy and other items were used instead.

　　"This is a way for him to fulfill his responsibility for breach of contract or violation of the law. What alternative plan can be used to negotiate with consumers." Yan Bing said, but if consumers do not agree, the overcharge is in currency, and the money is returned. Should also be currency.

　　Liu Junhai, a professor at the Law School of Renmin University of China, believes that in daily life, consumers communicate with businesses, and sometimes it is difficult to make a claim, and they need to rely on administrative supervision.

　　Yan Bing mentioned, "When a merchant's behavior is illegal, the administrative organ can punish it. But in specific cases, this kind of behavior should be a minor illegal case, and the loss to consumers is objectively small. Therefore, the administrative punishment may be mainly a warning or an order, and if it is more serious, it is a symbolic fine."

　　In fact, there is precedent for fines.

According to media reports, a restaurant in Xiamen City, Fujian Province has been fined 4,148.41 yuan by the local market supervision department for "reverse wipe zero" collection.

　　"Relevant departments implement administrative supervision, in addition to punishment, they should also include some preventive supervision measures, especially administrative guidance, so that merchants do not use crooked ideas and play tricks." Liu Junhai told a reporter from Zhongxin Finance and Economics.

　　"At the same time, in order to curb this kind of behavior, it is necessary to form a joint force with consumers' rights protection and encourage consumers to actively report. In addition, it can also be linked with credit supervision and punished." Liu Junhai added.

(Finish)