The three major operators suspended the 0 yuan purchase business, exposing the trap of bundled sales

Guandong guest

According to a recent CCTV news report, in the offline business halls of the three major operators, many consumers have encountered the promotions of "getting a mobile phone for free" and "getting broadband and getting gifts". It seems that you can get a mobile phone for free by signing up for a package, but in fact you have signed a loan contract, and the monthly phone bill includes the repayment amount. This type of installment business has long been the focus of consumer complaints. It is reported that starting from September 24, the financial installment purchase business of the three major operators will be suspended, and no new business of getting a mobile phone for 0 yuan will be allowed.

"Purchasing a phone for zero yuan" was once all the rage, but where is the free lunch in the world? The so-called "zero yuan purchase" is nothing more than converting the mobile phone payment into the phone bill and repaying it in installments. It is essentially a consumer loan. The reason why many people fall into the trap of "purchasing a phone for zero yuan" is mainly because of information asymmetry. When promoting in offline stores, most of the rhetoric only emphasizes "free" and "zero down payment", and downplays key contents such as loan contracts, credit impact, and early termination penalty. Many middle-aged and elderly users or citizens who were eager to change their mobile phones signed quickly under the guidance of the store clerk, without even reading the text of the agreement clearly. When I later wanted to cancel my mobile phone number and change my package, I discovered that the contract had not expired and the loan had to be repaid.

It is not impossible to combine communication business with consumer loans. The problem lies in bundling and misleading in the sales process. Operators are originally communication service providers. Offline stores have introduced a large number of third-party financial installment products and packaged loans into package benefits. The two businesses are mixed together, blurring the service boundaries. Communication contracts and credit contracts are packaged and sold, making it difficult for ordinary consumers to tell which part is the phone bill and which part is the loan repayment. Once a dispute arises, it is easy for stores, operators, and financial institutions to blame each other, and consumers have to go back and forth to defend their rights, making it difficult to provide evidence. For a long time, complaints about this type of installment purchase have remained high, which is enough to show that the relevant routines have become a chronic problem in the industry.

This kind of operation of "packaging loans into phone bills" is an infringement of consumer rights. This time the three major operators pressed the pause button simultaneously, which was timely and necessary. In the past, the logic of relying on subsidized mobile phones to grab users has long been ineffective now that number portability has been fully implemented. Business offices can no longer rely on information gaps to tie up users. In addition to announcing the suspension, operators must also consider how to protect the rights and interests of old users whose contracts are still in effect. Clear explanations must be given on related issues.

The core competitiveness of operators has always been network quality, service transparency and tariff experience. The era of "zero yuan purchase" should have ended long ago.