Courier companies' standard practice of requiring people to sign for items before being allowed to open it is illegal and should not be tolerated, according to consumer groups.
Consumer rights protectors in 21 Chinese cities claim it amounts to an unfair trading practice and encourages dishonesty in mail-order shopping, Xinhua News Agency reported.
While courier services have undoubtedly made life convenient for people to receive long-distance items and to shop online and on TV in recent years, they have also caused a variety of problems, including packages being lost, broken or changed. The practice forcing customers to sign before opening the packages has therefore led to plenty of disputes, according to consumer groups.
Naturally, courier companies think it's only fair for customers to sign first. After all, they say, they should not be held responsible for the contents of the packages they've delivered, only for making sure the packages are not damaged.
Consumers, on the other hand, say that while a package might look intact, it is still possible that what is inside has been changed or damaged, so they should have the right to check the goods before signing for them.
According to the courier industry regulations introduced in 2008, delivery firms should always ask recipients to check the goods first and only sign the delivery forms after verifying there are no problems. If consumers refuse to sign, they should write down the reasons and time on the delivery form.
The requirement for them to sign first therefore has no legal standing, say the consumer groups and they have every right to refuse it. |
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