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The price increase of hot-selling models is nothing new, especially this year, the automobile industry is affected by the shortage of chips, and the delivery volume of new cars of many brands are greatly reduced. In this case, consumers are usually faced with two choices, either to increase the price to pick up the car or wait in line. In this regard, the relevant departments have repeatedly reiterated that the fare increase is prohibited. Yesterday, CCTV Finance broadcast an undercover program, CCTV reporters visited Beijing Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Guangzhou Automobile Toyota 4S store, found that 4S store price increase is popular, performance models, MPV,SUV, imported cars are the key models of price increase.

Under the camera, Audi sales introduced the details of the price increase to CCTV reporters. Each model in this store basically increased by 5 to 100000. "Audi S4 plus 50, 000 is doomed, RS4 and RS5 plus 8 to 100000", while RS6,7,8 needs to add 300000. The salesman explained that the reason for the price increase was that there were too few cars.

In another Mercedes-Benz 4S store, a similar situation, an official guidance price of 1.5 million yuan for a model, the actual price is 1.8 million yuan, and the reporter asked why more than 300000. Car sales clearly told him that there was a premium. "this is determined by the market, and it is impossible for other stores to increase prices by NT $50,000 to NT $60,000. we also offer a discount of NT $40,000 to NT $50,000." Sales staff said that the price increase to sell cars is a common phenomenon in the industry.

At the GAC Toyota 4S store, car sales explained that if there is no discount on the basis of 70,000 more than the guiding price, the car can be picked up in February and March next year, while if the corresponding discount is 20,000, the car will be mentioned a month or two later. In addition to the explicit price increase, there will be some other forms of price increase, such as decoration or service charge, for which 4S stores will provide car wash or some unclear services. The sales staff of Toyota 4S store reported their preparation service fee to CCTV. Elfa is 3,000 yuan and other models are 1000 yuan. The services provided are very vague, such as when the car comes, the car wash is provided, and some related services are provided, and the cost in the store will be shared equally in the price of each car.

Some consumers are willing to accept this hidden rule in order to mention new cars as soon as possible, and if it is true that the supply of cars is limited, it will force another part of consumers to extend the delivery time, and if the delivery time is not stipulated in the car purchase contract, the waiting may be quite long. The act of price increase or tying is almost an "open secret" of the industry, which has long been hated by consumers. in fact, there have long been relevant laws to restrict such behavior.

In 2014, the state began to use anti-monopoly law to punish systematic monopoly behavior in the automobile industry. This is reflected in the fact that different merchants of the same model use the same rate of price increase. Law enforcers believe that some price increase sales may be vertical monopoly behavior organized by vehicle suppliers, or horizontal monopoly behavior organized by dealers through price negotiation. On December 27, 2019, the official website of the State Administration of Market Supervision and Administration published a written decision on administrative punishment issued by the Jiangsu Provincial Market Supervision and Administration Bureau concerning the monopoly case of Toyota (China) Investment Co., Ltd. Found that the illegal behavior of Lexus brand monopoly is true, imposed a fine of 87.6131 million yuan, and ordered it to stop the illegal behavior.

Individual dealers may be suspected of breaking the law if there is a price increase. According to the measures for the Administration of Automobile sales issued by the Ministry of Commerce in 2017, dealers shall clearly state the prices and service charges for selling cars, accessories and other related products in the place of business in an appropriate form, and shall not sell or charge extra fees in addition to the marked price. These fare increase items refer to the common fees such as licensing, depot, decoration and insurance when buying new cars, and consumers can not be forced to pay or tie-in. Yan Bing, director of Yun Tong Law firm in Beijing, said: consumers have the right to decide whether to accept a certain service and buy or not to buy any kind of product. Bundling is definitely not possible.

Even if there is a clear legal basis, but these problems are still common, in addition to some consumers take the initiative to accept these rules, there are also times when consumers do not pay attention to the relevant details in signing the contract, resulting in the inability to protect their rights. Legal personages suggest that when choosing and purchasing a vehicle, consumers can ask the seller to specify the price and pay attention to the price terms in the sales contract, the delivery period, as well as the product model and configuration of the vehicle. For some consumers can choose to buy or not to buy items. Do not only rely on the introduction of the seller or verbal promises, to be implemented in the contract, the transaction contract is the most powerful evidence for consumers to protect their rights in the later stage.

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