How can consumers be exploited?

Answer 1

The goods being sold in the market are

sometimes not measured or weighed

correctly.

Sub-standard Quality : The goods sold

are sometimes of sub-standard quality.

Selling of consumables beyond their expiry

dates and supply of deficient or defective

home appliances are generally the

regular grievances of consumers.

High Prices : Very often the traders charge

a price higher than the prescribed retail

price.

Duplicate Articles : In the name of

genuine parts or goods, fake or duplicate

items are being sold to the consumers.

Adulteration and Impurity : In costly edible

items, such as oil, ghee and spices,

adulteration is made in order to earn

higher profits. This causes heavy loss to

the customers; they suffer from monetary

loss as well as spoil their health.

Lack of Safety Devices : Electronic goods,

electrical devices or other appliances

produced locally, lack the required

inbuilt safeguards. This causes accidents

to the consumers.

Artificial Scarcity : In order to amass

illegitimate profit, businessmen create

artificial scarcity by hoarding. They sell

it at the later stage at higher prices.

False or Incomplete Information : Sellers

easily mislead consumers by giving

wrong information about a product, its

price, quality, reliability, life cycle, expiry

date, durability, its effect on health,

environment, safety and security,

maintenance costs involved, and terms

and conditions of purchase. Cosmetics,

drugs and electronic goods are common

examples where consumers face such

problems.

Unsatisfactory after-sale Service : Many

of the high cost durable items, such as

electrical or electronic equipments, home

appliances and cars, need adequate

after-sale care. The suppliers do not

provide the satisfactory after -sale

services despite the necessary payments.

Rough Behaviour and Undue Conditions :

In matters like LPG gas connection, fixing

of a new telephone line, procurement of

licensed items, etc., consumers are often

harassed and undue conditions are put

before them.a

Answer 2

Some of the common methods of exploitation are

1. Under weight and under measurements -not measured or weighed correctly
2. Substandard Quality -defective home appliances and medicines beyond expiry date
3. High prices-charging above the retail price
4. Duplicate Articles-selling fake items in the name of the original
5. Adulteration and Impurity-is done to get higher profits
6. Lack of safety Devices-absence of inbuilt safeguardsin appliances
7. Artifical Scarcity-hoarding and black marketing
8. False and Incomplete Information-misleading information on quality, durability, and safety.
9. Unsatisfactory after sales Service-high cost items like eletronics and cars require constant and regular service.
10. Rough behaviour and Undue conditions-harassment in getting LPG connection or a telephone connection..