China News Service, May 13 (Xinhua) The recent overtime charging problem of Fengchao express boxes has aroused public concern. The China Consumers Association website published a response today that the smart express box service provided to consumers in the community should be included in the community property service business scope, and the service fee should not be charged separately within the reasonable storage period. For those who really need to use the smart express box service beyond the deadline, the charging standard should be determined by referring to the public service price management method.
The China Consumers Association said that the smart express box service is a refinement and extension of the service sector of the express delivery industry, and to some extent meets the diversified and personalized consumer demand for express services. In terms of service differentiation and service interactivity, smart express boxes make up for the lack of delivery boxes established by established communities based on universal service standards, but their settings are at the cost of consuming public resources in the community and are serving more and more consumers in the community Services, and therefore have the community public service attributes.
The “Administrative Measures for the Delivery Service of Smart Express Boxes” implemented on October 1, 2019 puts forward relevant requirements for smart express box operators to set reasonable free storage periods. The smart express box service set up in the community to provide consumers should be included in the community property service business scope. The service fee should not be charged separately within the reasonable storage period, and the service connection outside the storage period should be properly done. For those who really need to use the smart express box service beyond the deadline, the determination of the charging standard should refer to the public service price management method, and cannot be resolved simply through the market-based mechanism.
The Consumer Council said that the smart express box service involves community properties, smart express box operators, courier companies, e-commerce platforms, owners 'committees, community consumers and other stakeholders. It is necessary to strengthen comprehensive supervision and joint governance to effectively protect consumers' lawfulness Rights and interests and social public interests. Community property and smart express box operators, express delivery companies, e-commerce platforms and other operators should provide consumers with relevant services through smart express boxes, and they should clearly inform consumers one by one of the free storage period and service charge standards and other consumer interests. Relevant matters, and obtain consumer consent.
Property companies and owners' committees must unblock channels for expressing interests, fully listen to consumers' opinions, and protect consumers' right to supervise and advise. Regarding violations of relevant laws and regulations such as postal management, property services, and the “Consumer Rights Protection Law” and violations of the lawful rights and legitimate interests of community consumers, relevant government departments shall promptly stop and investigate and deal with them.
The Consumers Association said that consumer demand is the ultimate driving force for the continued development of smart express box services. Relevant government departments should carefully study consumer needs, not only to meet the higher quality requirements of consumers for universal services, but also to meet the needs of consumers' differentiated and personalized services, appropriately extend or expand the scope and scope of public services, and improve public Service facility construction standards, the intelligent upgrading of the original delivery box of the community as a "new infrastructure" project, included in the scope of public consumption, and strive to serve the needs of consumers for a better life.
Screenshot of the China Consumers Association website