"Secondary Charges" Become the Unspoken Rules of the Household Industry

It is now in the peak season for consumer products. Some businesses “naked out” household goods, and then charged consumers with various materials and installation fees. Such “secondary charges” have almost become unspoken rules in the industry, and many consumers are therefore “inviting”. The industry and commerce department stated that although the state does not have a clear stipulation on this matter, the “secondary charges” involved should be clearly stated to the consumers before fees are charged.

"Secondary charges" are frequent

On August 6th, Ms. Qin bought a set of two doors at a furniture store in the west of the city. The installers who arranged for the door-to-door installation of the business, however, asked Ms. Qin to pay an additional fee of 80 yuan for the inappropriate size of the door frame. Ms. Qin believes that when the door was purchased, the business did not mention the material fee, and additional charges were imposed on the installation, making it difficult to accept. Moreover, since the business is responsible for on-site installation, there should be no additional charges.

Mr. Liu, who works in a public institution in Xigong District, has similar experience. At the end of July this year, Mr. Liu purchased a washbasin for his new home, and the merchant promised to install it. After the installation work arrived at Mr. Liu's home, he said that the water hose attached to the product was not long enough. Mr. Liu needs to spend another 40 yuan for a new water pipe, but also pay an additional installation fee of 30 yuan.

Installation is profitable

Guo Xiaodong worked at a building materials store. He said that there are very few merchants that are really free to install products on the market. "Non-sale" products are "secondary charges" in the installation process and have become the unspoken rules of the household industry.

Guo Xiaodong said that the competition in the household product market is extremely fierce. Therefore, in order to complete a single business, the merchant often tries to meet the consumer's demand for price, and then earns profits in the installation process. If a set of furniture is used, the installer will disassemble the product during the handling process. During the installation process, a handling fee of 50 to 100 yuan will normally be charged, and an installation fee of 100 to 200 yuan will be charged during installation. In the event of the need to add other materials, the amount of charges is even more unpredictable.

If a consumer complains about the business, the merchant will explain the temporary fee paid by the installer who hired it. The shop has no knowledge of the situation. In fact, a lot of installers' "secondary charges" have been acquiesced by merchants. Ultimately, these charges must also be split up with the business. Even some businesses will use installers to recommend accessories and take the opportunity to sell their own products. Some businesses even deducted the original product accessories, and then allow consumers to add extra money to buy.

Before the merchant charges

The relevant staff of the city’s industrial and commercial departments stated that there are no clear regulations on the charges involved in the installation of household products. However, from the perspective of contract law, merchants sell goods to consumers, and the formation of a contractual relationship is facilitated by buying and selling. Businesses are obliged to inform consumers in advance which items will be charged and which items will be free during the process of product installation. At the same time, it shall be clear who will bear the responsibility for the failure of the goods and accessories provided. In addition, according to relevant regulations, merchants should ensure that the goods they sell should have their proper performance, no missing parts, and normal use. Otherwise, consumers can complain to related departments.

The industrial and commercial department reminds consumers that they should sign a detailed purchase contract with the merchant when purchasing home products and carefully read the relevant clauses in the contract. In case of unreasonable terms, they should request the business to make timely changes; for the items involved in the purchase of goods, Businesses should also be allowed to be included in the contract in text form. In addition to requesting merchants to issue invoices for products, consumers should also allow merchants to open effective vouchers for related accessories and services for additional charges, so as to facilitate rights protection in the future.