Invisible Consumption is Everywhere: Takeaway Packaging Fees, TV Membership Fees, Scenic Spot Overcharging, Who Will Pay for Us?
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Invisible Consumption is Everywhere: Takeaway Packaging Fees, TV Membership Fees, Scenic Spot Overcharging, Who Will Pay for Us?In this era of money-centricity, many services and goods seemingly offered for free have started charging. When you are out and about, you may think you are enjoying free services, but when you check out, you find several inexplicable charges on your bill, leaving you bewildered but having to pay anyway
Invisible Consumption is Everywhere: Takeaway Packaging Fees, TV Membership Fees, Scenic Spot Overcharging, Who Will Pay for Us?
In this era of money-centricity, many services and goods seemingly offered for free have started charging. When you are out and about, you may think you are enjoying free services, but when you check out, you find several inexplicable charges on your bill, leaving you bewildered but having to pay anyway. Are businesses desperate or has the consumption mindset changed, leading them to take these invisible consumption charges for granted? Lets explore these three outrageously charged phenomena and see what's going on.
Takeaway Packaging Fees: From Free to Sky-High, Who is Paying for This Invisible Consumption?
Remember the joy of ordering takeout before? Utensils and packaging boxes were all readily available, and they were free. Nowadays, takeaway packaging fees have skyrocketed like a rocket, increasing by a few yuan, a dozen yuan, or even exceeding the cost of the food itself. What secrets lie behind this?
On the one hand, the commission rates charged by takeaway platforms are high, and businesses have to find ways to recoup their costs, resorting to these small details. With high logistics costs and rising prices of utensils and packaging boxes, businesses naturally need to find ways to transfer these costs to consumers. On the other hand, some businesses, in pursuit of extra profits, deliberately inflate packaging fees, not only burdening consumers but also damaging their reputation.
On the surface, businesses do make some money in the short term, but consumers are not fools. With such high prices, they will naturally choose other more cost-effective options, ultimately leading to losses for businesses.
TV Membership Fees: From Free Viewing to Layered Charging, the Nesting Doll Model Leaves Consumers Exhausted
In the past, television was our primary form of entertainment. It used to be so cozy to watch television together as a family. Nowadays, mobile phones have become people's main entertainment tools. When you occasionally want a change of pace and relax by watching TV dramas, you are blocked by the message "membership required to watch."
To watch popular TV dramas, movies, variety shows, even children's cartoons, you have to pay for memberships to watch the next episode. Even more infuriating is that even if you are a member, you still need to pay extra to unlock certain privileges, such as watching specific programs. For a blockbuster movie, even if you are a member, you cannot watch the full version, only a 15-minute preview, and then you need to pay another 10-20 yuan to watch the full version. This layered charging model is truly frustrating.
TV platforms, in their pursuit of profits, neglect the feelings of consumers. This nesting doll charging model will ultimately only make consumers lose patience and choose to give up.
Random Fees in Scenic Spots: Tickets, Meals, Convenience Stores, Even a Ditch Have to be Charged, Dramatically Reducing the Travel Experience
Random charging in scenic spots is also a widespread phenomenon. After walking around a scenic spot for a morning, you want to buy a bottle of water to quench your thirst. Who knew the prices in the convenience store would be ridiculously high? A popsicle that costs 1 yuan in a supermarket is sold for 5 yuan in a scenic spot, and mineral water is doubled in price, going for 5 or 6 yuan. Restaurants in scenic spots are even more "sky-high" priced, with questionable hygiene conditions and unappetizing flavors, but there are no other options, so you have to eat the overpriced food through gritted teeth.
Even more outrageous is that some scenic spots charge for prawns by the piece, with a price tag of 38 yuan, it turns out to be "one piece", not a serving. Some scenic spots also manipulate ticket prices. After purchasing a ticket, certain attractions or activities within the scenic spot require separate tickets, and these additional fees are not mentioned in advance when purchasing the ticket. Only when the tourists are halfway through their visit are they suddenly told that they need to pay more.
Scenic spots should be a place for relaxation and enjoyment of beautiful scenery, yet due to high prices, visitors feel dissatisfied, and their travel experience is significantly downgraded. Scenic spots themselves should also reflect on this. When tourists feel cheated, they will naturally complain online, spreading the word, ultimately damaging the reputation of the scenic spot, which ultimately harms the scenic spot itself.
Besides these three phenomena, many other invisible consumption practices are lurking in our lives, such as:
- Hospital IV Drip Seat Charges: When you are feeling unwell and go to the hospital for an IV drip, how can you stand the entire time? When hospital beds are scarce, seats become the only option, but you encounter a QR code charging system, charging by the minute or day. This move by hospitals is truly taking advantage of people's vulnerability, imposing extra fees based on patient needs, adding insult to injury.
- Restaurant Utensil Charges: One yuan or even two yuan per person, if you have a group dinner, the utensil fee will be tens of yuan. Tissues have also become an extra chargeable item. The hygiene of the utensils is inconsistent, yet they still charge, which is truly infuriating!
How can we deal with these invisible consumption practices?
- For sky-high takeaway packaging fees, businesses should clearly state the packaging fees on the platform so that consumers know what to expect before placing an order. Platforms also need to strengthen oversight, not showing leniency towards businesses that engage in random charging, punishing them as necessary to protect consumer rights.
- TV platforms should simplify their packages, stop with the nesting doll charging, which is confusing. Membership benefits should also be clearly stated, and consumers should not have to pay for memberships and not be able to watch the shows they want.
- Scenic spots should publicly display their charging standards, not hide them. For those scenic spots that engage in random charging, government departments need to crack down severely, rectifying those that need to be rectified and punishing those that need to be punished. Tourists should also be more vigilant. If they encounter unreasonable fees, they should report it promptly.
The existence of invisible consumption practices not only harms consumer interests but also damages business reputation. Only by eliminating invisible consumption can we achieve a market that is more fair and transparent, allowing consumers to consume with peace of mind.
Please share your experience with invisible consumption encounters in the comments.
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