Consumer Traps: Takeaway Packaging Fees, TV Subscription Traps, Parking Charges - Who's in Charge?

Consumer Traps: Takeaway Packaging Fees, TV Subscription Traps, Parking Charges - Who's in Charge?Takeaway platforms are undoubtedly one of the worst offenders when it comes to unreasonable charges. As people's lives become increasingly fast-paced, many are exhausted by the end of the workday and just want to relax

Consumer Traps: Takeaway Packaging Fees, TV Subscription Traps, Parking Charges - Who's in Charge?

As China's people enjoy a steadily rising standard of living, their spending on daily expenses also steadily increases. However, this rise in spending is accompanied by a growing number of unreasonable fees imposed by businesses. Many items that used to be free are now subject to charges, and these charges are becoming increasingly exorbitant. This proliferation of unfair practices is unreasonable for consumers, especially the three cases we will discuss today. Their charges, to put it mildly, are outrageous! So the question is, how can we address these consumer abuses?

Abuse 1: Takeaway Packaging Fees, Utensil Fees

Takeaway platforms are undoubtedly one of the worst offenders when it comes to unreasonable charges. As people's lives become increasingly fast-paced, many are exhausted by the end of the workday and just want to relax. Ordering takeaway for dinner becomes the most convenient option. However, with the booming takeaway industry, increasingly unreasonable charges are emerging. For instance, minimum order amounts to qualify for delivery are understandable, as both businesses and delivery platforms need to make a profit. If a customer orders something for just a few yuan, it becomes impossible for either the business or the platform to cover costs. Therefore, minimum order fees are justifiable.

However, other charges are egregious, such as packaging fees! Just how ridiculous are these fees? Let me share a recent experience. Last night, I ordered a few packs of marinated meat from a takeaway platform. My total order was just over thirty yuan, but when I went to check out, my jaw dropped. For just five items, the packaging fee was nearly five yuan! The total value of the items on the menu was only thirty-plus yuan. Including the packaging fee and delivery fee, the final price was close to forty yuan. This is clearly unreasonable. After careful consideration, I ultimately cancelled the order.

Out of curiosity, I did some research today. What I found was shocking. This practice is not an isolated incident but has become commonplace. According to media reports, a well-known brand started charging packaging fees on March 3rd, and the most outrageous thing is that these fees are unlimited on third-party delivery platforms. This brand is quite well-known in China, and anyone who frequently orders takeaway will know about it. On third-party delivery platforms, these fees are incredibly high.

In addition to charging fixed packaging fees, this brand even charges additional fees based on the number of utensils needed. It's worth noting that the Chinese government has already punished many businesses for charging for utensils in offline restaurants. In China, restaurants should provide free utensils for customers. Charging for utensils violates the Consumer Protection Law, and businesses caught doing so will be penalized. The practice of charging for utensils in offline restaurants has been curbed, but it seems to have migrated to online platforms.

Furthermore, the so-called utensils and packaging boxes themselves are not expensive items. How can they possibly warrant such charges? In the early days of the takeaway industry, these fees were rare, and very few businesses even charged them. Moreover, most places offered free delivery. But now? As the takeaway industry expands, various charges pop up. Packaging fees, utensil fees, delivery fees - these add up, and even with coupons, the total cost often exceeds the value of the discount. The people who order takeaway frequently already have busy lives, so they may not notice these fees right away. When they finally realize, they discover that they have been charged unfairly and have suffered a loss due to these opaque charges!

Abuse 2: TV Subscription Traps, Unlimited Charges!

More than a decade ago, before the rise of the mobile internet, most people chose to watch TV for entertainment in their spare time. However, with the emergence of smart TVs, this pastime no longer serves as a means of relaxation. Instead, it is often a source of frustration due to outrageous charges. First, when you turn on the TV, you are bombarded with ads that can go on for ten seconds or more. What's worse, you can't skip them! This is naturally very annoying for consumers. If it were just that, it wouldn't be so bad. The real problem is that the real scams only begin when you start using the TV.

Take watching TV series as an example. You are constantly asked to subscribe to a membership. Without a membership, the content available is extremely limited. If you want to watch the entire series, you have to buy a membership. But does buying a membership guarantee peace of mind? No, because there is a super membership on top of the regular membership. Some shows require a super membership to watch. This multi-layered enticement and subscription trap can lead consumers to be taken advantage of without realizing it.

But this is not the worst part. The most infuriating thing is that the main groups who watch TV now are children and the elderly. Most young people and middle-aged people use their phones for entertainment. When confronted with the dazzling displays of smart TVs, seniors and children can easily press the wrong buttons without realizing it, and then the business starts automatically deducting money from their accounts. It's truly impossible to avoid! Even if you subscribe to the super membership, some films and TV shows are still inaccessible. Charges like individual film purchases, tiered pricing, and a myriad of other payment schemes are making young people increasingly turn away from watching TV.

Smart TVs themselves are already expensive, and then there are all these tricks waiting for consumers. Anyone would be upset. After all, all of these things were free a decade ago. With these charges, who would dare to consume?

Abuse 3: Parking Charges

I wonder if you have ever had this experience: you are driving, stuck in traffic for hours, and finally arrive at your destination only to spend ages looking for a parking space. When you finally find one and are about to leave after completing your business, you realize you have to pay a hefty parking fee. With the soaring number of private cars in China, traffic congestion in cities is becoming a major issue, and illegal parking is becoming more and more common. Naturally, this type of behavior is not desirable. So parking lots have sprung up, bringing with them the practice of charging unreasonable parking fees.

According to Jimu News, this has happened in Hangzhou this month. In the main urban area of Hangzhou, the minimum parking fee is now 10 yuan per hour. In popular tourist areas, the fees are even higher, reaching over 20 yuan per hour. During holidays, they even surge to 30 yuan per hour. These fees are quite high, aren't they? Most drivers say they can accept these fees, as there is a real demand for parking spaces, and the number of vehicles is indeed high. So the charges are understandable, but there is one thing that drivers find unacceptable.

What is it? It's the overcharging for exceeding the parking limit. For example, if a driver parks for one hour and one minute, they must pay for an additional half hour of parking. If they exceed the half-hour mark, they are charged for an additional hour. It's understandable if the driver is responsible for exceeding the parking time, but there are also situations where this fee structure is unreasonable.

First, if the parking lot is overcrowded, causing traffic jams, or if there are disputes between vehicles within the parking lot, preventing people from leaving and leading to exceeding the parking time, who should bear the responsibility for the extra fees? Second, if a driver parks for five minutes to handle something and then leaves in a hurry, do they really need to pay for half an hour? Remember that a few years ago, you didn't have to pay parking fees if you only parked for a few minutes to take care of something. Therefore, finding a balance between drivers and parking lot fees is a major issue that needs to be addressed.

Conclusion

Whether it's takeaway, TV, or parking, fees are typically most reasonable when the demand is low. However, as the number of users grows, various problems naturally arise. However, relevant departments in China have already taken steps to address these issues. For example, concerning TV fees, CCTV News reported that they will conduct a crackdown on related abuses, and it is expected that these issues will be effectively resolved soon.

References:

• Bandao Metropolis Daily: "Arbitrary Deductions! Traps Remain Even After Membership! TV Subscription Traps Annoy Consumers, Relevant Departments Conduct Crackdown"

• Hongxing News: "Well-Known Brand Suddenly Announces: Starting to Charge Packaging Fees, 1 Yuan Per Item for Some Products, Delivery Fee Reduced to 7 Yuan! No Upper Limit for Packaging Fees on Third-Party Takeaway Platforms"

• Hongxing News: "1 Minute Over 1 Hour, Need to Pay for 1.5 Hours of Parking... Is Hangzhou's Minute-Based Parking Fee System Feasible? Latest Response from City Development and Reform Commission"

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