Issues that consumers should pay attention to

When purchasing or using goods or receiving services, consumers should be fully equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to protect their legitimate rights and interests.

1) Consumers are recommended to choose official shopping venues for goods or services, instead of making purchases from vendors without a business license.

2) Consumers should carefully identify labels of various commodities and packaging, such as the manufacturer, place of origin, price, quality standards, production date, shelf life and expiration date before any purchases.

3) Customers have the right not to passively accept the restaurant’s unreasonable requirements including “minimum spending”,“corkage”, and “non-allowance for bringing one’s own drinks”.

4) Consumers have the right to freely choose business operators providing hotel services. When a consumer open a hotel room door and is dissatisfied with indoor air quality, sanitation or other accommodation, on which grounds he requests for check-out, hotels shall allow his requirement without charging any fees.

5) Consumers should request invoices or other proofs when purchasing goods or services and keep them intact. Once their legitimate rights and interests are infringed upon, such proofs can greatly aid them against any infringement.

6) In case consumers purchase commodities on the Internet, on television, over telephone, or by mail order, among others, they shall have the right to return the commodities within seven days of receipt of them without cause.

However, the return without cause shall not apply to custom-made commodities, fresh, live or perishable commodities, newspapers or periodicals delivered, audio-visual recordings, computer software, and other digital commodities downloaded online or unpacked by consumers, and also commodities unsuitable for return by nature as confirmed by consumers at the time of purchase. The commodities returned by consumers shall remain intact. Merchants shall, within seven days of receipt of the returned commodities, refund the payments made by consumers for the commodities. The freight for the return of commodities shall be assumed by consumers, except as otherwise agreed upon by business operators and consumers.

7) 12315 consumer rights protection hotline. In the case of fruitless communication with the merchant, you can call 12315 of the Department of Industry and Commerce through legal channels to protect your rights. Before the call, you are advised to retain valid evidence of improper transactions.

Other complaints hotline you may use include:

Quality Supervision Department: 12365                           

Price Report Telephone: 12358

Food and Drug Department: 12331