Shenzhen Consumer Council unveiled typical cases of service providers coaxing consumers with low-price promotions and exaggerating promises.
In a case mentioned in the report analyzing consumers’ complaints in the first three quarters in this year, released Wednesday, a cosmetic parlor promised that customers could enjoy its 398-yuan (US$62.15) and 588-yuan eyebrow tattooing packages after paying a 30-yuan initial deposit. When customers started to get tattooed, an employee would claim that the promo packages were undesirable and persuaded them to get a higher price package. If customers rejected the offer, the parlor would further coax them to spend more, claiming that an anesthetic had been applied. One customer was even forced to spend 4,888 yuan, the council said.
In another case, a training center promised a customer to pass the civil servant enrollment test in July, otherwise it would refund all the payment. When the customer failed the exam, the training center gave different excuses, demanding the customer to disregard the original contract and renew a contract for refunding by installments. The new contract didn’t mention compensation, or the interests incurred. The center claimed the later the consumer signed the contract, the harder he or she would get the refund.
Between July and September, the council received 49,723 complaints, with internet and communication services attracting the most at 19,130, or 38.47 percent. It is then followed by training with 11,146, or 22.42 percent, and other complaints were about computer and digital products, cultural and tourism services, and cosmetic and plastic surgeries.