Haikou plans to impose a fine on Lexus 4S store for ＂suspected price increase＂ and put it on the list of serious violations of law and dishonesty.

Haikou, China Broadcasting Network, March 20 th Recently, Haikou Zhongsheng Lexus Automobile Sales & Service Co., Ltd. was suspected of increasing the price outside the price, which caused widespread concern after being exposed by the media. On the morning of March 20th, the reporter learned from Haikou Municipal Market Supervision Administration that the market supervision department planned to impose an administrative penalty of 450,000 yuan for the company’s price fraud that refused to fulfill its price commitment without justifiable reasons, and put it on the list of serious violations of law and dishonesty.

Haikou Zhongsheng Lexus 4S Store (photo by Yang Guangwang reporter Cai Wenjuan)

In January this year, Mr. Wang, a citizen, ordered a car in Haikou Zhongsheng Lexus 4S store (affiliated to Haikou Zhongsheng Lexus Automobile Sales and Service Co., Ltd.). After signing the contract and paying the deposit, the salesman asked for an additional service fee of 100,000 yuan as a condition for picking up the car. After being rejected by Mr. Wang, the salesperson unilaterally returned the car purchase deposit. After the competent departments of commerce, market supervision and other industries in Haikou intervened in the investigation, on March 14th, the 4S store issued an apology statement and dismissed the customer service manager involved.

Administrative Law Enforcement Detachment of Haikou Municipal Market Supervision Administration (photo by Yang Guangwang reporter Cai Wenjuan)

On March 20th, a notice that Haikou Municipal Market Supervision Administration was included in the list of serious violations of law and dishonesty (hereinafter referred to as the "notice") was circulated on the Internet. After verification by the reporter, it was confirmed as the relevant documents issued by Haikou Municipal Market Supervision Administration.

The "Notice" shows that Haikou Zhongsheng Lexus Automobile Sales & Service Co., Ltd. failed to fulfill its price commitment and put forward an unreasonable request to raise the price by 100,000 yuan beyond the agreed price. After the consumer Wang refused, he unilaterally returned the deposit. Haikou Zhongsheng Lexus Automobile Sales & Service Co., Ltd. is suspected of violating Item 4 of Article 14 of the Price Law of People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Item 3 of Article 2 and Item 5 of Article 19 of the Provisions on Clearly Marking Prices and Prohibiting Price Fraud, which constitutes a price fraud that refuses to fulfill the price commitment without justifiable reasons. According to Article 23 of the Provisions on Clearly Marking Prices and Prohibiting Price Fraud and Article 7 of the Provisions on Administrative Penalties for Price Violations, Haikou Municipal Market Supervision Administration intends to impose an administrative penalty of RMB 450,000 on Haikou Zhongsheng Lexus Automobile Sales & Service Co., Ltd..

According to Article 2, Paragraph 2, Item 1 and Article 9, Item 6 of the Measures for the Administration of Market Supervision and Management of Serious Violations of Law and Trustworthiness, it is now decided to include Haikou Zhongsheng Lexus Automobile Sales & Service Co., Ltd. in the list of serious violations of law and trustworthiness, publicize it to the public through the national enterprise credit information publicity system, and implement corresponding management measures. The inclusion period is three years from the date of inclusion.

On the morning of the same day, Yuan Renxiang, a case handler of the Administrative Law Enforcement Detachment of Haikou Municipal Market Supervision Administration, introduced in an interview that after receiving the case clue letter forwarded by Haikou Municipal Bureau of Commerce, Haikou Municipal Market Supervision Administration immediately organized the case handlers to go to the scene to investigate and collect evidence and issue handling opinions. During the period, the case-handling personnel collected complaints related to the 4S shop since 2019, and found no similar situation. At the same time, during the investigation, the case-handling personnel contacted Mr. Wang many times, but they failed to get in touch, which also caused certain difficulties in the investigation process.

The case-handling personnel were interviewed by reporters (photo by Yang Guangwang reporter Cai Wenjuan)

Yuan Renxiang said that at present, the relevant investigation results have come out, and the Haikou Municipal Market Supervision Administration has also issued a Notice, which was delivered to the person in charge of the enterprise involved on the evening of March 19.

Li Kexiong, the captain of the Fourth Brigade of the Market Supervision Administrative Law Enforcement Detachment of Haikou Municipal Market Supervision Administration, said that the case is still being processed. After the Notice is delivered to the enterprises involved, the enterprises have five working days to appeal. After 5 working days, if there are no other circumstances, the market supervision department will issue a "Penalty Decision" in accordance with relevant procedures.

The relevant person in charge of the office of Haikou Municipal Market Supervision Administration told the reporter that the market supervision department has not strictly defined the behavior of adding value-added service fees to some businesses. "Any fee must be clearly marked and the service content is clear. Sales staff should inform consumers in advance before charging, and consumers have the right to choose to accept or refuse. " The person in charge said.

The person in charge reminded consumers not to trust the verbal promises of the merchants when buying a car, but to sign a car purchase contract, pay attention to whether the terms of the car purchase contract are complete, clearly stipulate the necessary elements of the purchased car, and list the total price, payment method and time limit of the vehicle transaction, delivery method and time limit of the vehicle, as well as the handling of quality disputes and objections and the liability for breach of contract, so as to avoid the difficulty of proof when defending rights and earnestly safeguard their legitimate rights and interests.

(The original title is "Haikou Municipal Market Supervision Bureau intends to impose a fine of 450,000 yuan on Lexus 4S shop for" suspected price increase "and list it in the list of serious violations of law and trust")