[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by Warwithwheels

This is a very common malpractice followed to reduce the customs duty liability and others charges on imported stuff.

Typically all these duties are paid as a % on the MRP printed on the carton. The notorious importer strikes a deal with the exporter to ship him the goods with a fabricated price tag. Of course the price difference is settled outside the normal banking channel.

That's helpful, good to know this. Thanks for the information.

So this is deeper and more messed up then I imagined. Hmm....

Problem is the end user suffers here.

Reading it again, is it that easy to give a fake MRP and import goods. I know some people in this business need to dig around. Unless you have more information to share.

I remember the Indian government making it compulsory to have the import details and other information to be correctly printed before importing it from the manufacturing firm itself.

I think the notorious middleman is raking in the money here. Neither the manufacturer or the direct importer (bulk) is making 10 times the value of these goods that is being actually sold for.

That said, you really cannot blame the Hypermarket guy for the inflated price tag because he is just a retailers who buys them for a inflated price tag from the importer.

My two cents!

I would not absolve the Hypermarket guy. Are they doing a fair business if they are themselves buying from a distributor at a huge markup without it being legal?

Say he is buying in bulk the same item for rs 345 when MRP printed on it is Rs 62.

You think he is paying the money to the distributor in a fair way. How does he account for the money in his books? As Rs 62 or Rs 325?

This is black money and the Hypermarket guy is doing an illegal deal. I dont think they are that naive.

For all I think the Hypermarket guy is taking us for a ride. Because he is selling to an enduser - individual. Where the risk of getting caught is much lesser then dealing with the government and tax instruments.

[bhojraj]

interesting, Glad to know the details. Duping customers will come down

[Tommie]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

.
Check this: Price as per the Village Hypermarket barcode Rs 350
Price on the MRP sticker (along with the import details): Rs 62
This is cheating blatant cheating. These people are doing daylight robbery.
I will speak to them first and then come up with a course of action against this.
Anyone want to join?

I have observed this many times that the price sticker of the good is listed pretty low always less 20% of the market price of product. Mostly these products originate from China where they mark only the manufacturing cost as the value of the product. This is not cheating the end user, it is actually cheating the govt for paying less tax while importing goods from China.

Dont worry about the fact that you as an individual is cheated, its the sales tax /customs who gets cheated here.

[lordofgondor]

Originally Posted by h@r$h@l

...Other incident that happened with us was at a restaurant in Udaipur. We bought a can of drink and after consuming it, we found out it was expired ...

A recent ruling by the Consumer Court absolved stores from selling expired products. The same ruling stressed that stores aren't forcing customers to buy and it's up to the customers to check the expiry date.

I guess the same might apply to supermarkets that apply their own M.R.P. tags.

[shipnil]

Originally Posted by lambuhere1

Is the website for corecenter down ? Not able to reach the same

Looks like the web address is changed now. Just did a google search. The site is
Core Centre

And for registering a complaint Complaints Registration:CORE

[Fordmanchau]

Guys, just got this email.
Its a campagin called "BRIBE BANDH".
Click on the link to support.
Bribe Bandh | I PAID A BRIBE

Looks like Bangalore is leading all the way in reporting the cases of bribe. Or it may just be that people there are willing to speak.

Hope it turns out well.
Wishing all the best to the campaign.

Note: thought this to be the right thread to post.
EDIT: shared it on my FB profile.

[rm_arjuna]

I work as buyer for a retail chain and some compliance norms as per weights & measure act that needs to be followed :

a) When the MRP is printed , retailers cannot affix any sticker masking the price , it is illegal under Weights & measures act.

b) If the product is imported , all such products need to have name & complete address of the importer,country of origin,date / month of import , expiry date and MRP all in a single tag / sticker.

c) Hotels / mall / cineplex & other service outlets can charge more for the same product provided , it need to be printed on the product " for sale in select channel's /institutional consumers/ hotels / not for retail trade . even such case the MRP needs to be printed on the package.

d) Non-standard packs like offer packs in FMCG category etc need to have sticker stating " Non-standard pack size under weights&measures Act".

e) Where the product is manufactured by third party or imported in bulk and repackaged in india , the same need to be mentioned / printed on the label.

[SirAlec]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

This is cheating blatant cheating. These people are doing daylight robbery.

I will speak to them first and then come up with a course of action against this.

Anyone want to join?

Little bit of correction. My neighbor is an importer of chinese toys, You will be surprise to see that some of the toys are marked as low as Rs.12. And you can reason, as it cannot be as low as that. As it has led bulbs, speakers, music chip etc.

I dunno why chinese are doing this, but its surprising.

[anupamsinha]

Originally Posted by SirAlec

Little bit of correction. My neighbor is an importer of chinese toys, You will be surprise to see that some of the toys are marked as low as Rs.12. And you can reason, as it cannot be as low as that. As it has led bulbs, speakers, music chip etc.

I dunno why chinese are doing this, but its surprising.

I guess this has something to do with the the customs and tax.

[Sowmya]

As per my observation the Price tag in the Chinese product is never correct. It is eye wash to the GOVT for paying the TAX. And due to this the Chinese prod become much lesser price than Indian prod.

I SAY BIG NO TO ANY CHINESE PRODUCT. Hope people should realize soon and buy desi toys/goods for their loving kids and family. China is destroying Indian economy and future.

I too also faced this kind of cheating at various place and just stopped going there or fought back. Sometime hair on food/ uncooked / vodofone bill ...

[GSMINC]

Originally Posted by Sowmya

I too also faced this kind of cheating at various place and just stopped going there or fought back. Sometime hair on food/ uncooked / vodofone bill ...

Hair in food is understandable if not acceptable,
but Vodafone bill in your food

[amitoj]

The Hypermarket incident is shocking and revealing. I am sure other supermarkets/shops that sell Chinese goods do the same as well.
Is this limited to only Chinese goods?
And i don't think that it is a loss to just the Govt. Importers are undercutting the local business by reducing their own costs. A market condition that gives an unfair advantage to one manufacturer over another will eventually hurt the consumer only.
This gives me another reason to be wary of Chinese goods, specially the ones that are not from a reputed brand.

[kkr2k2]

Originally Posted by speedofreak

....
Lodged a complain against the Resturant Owners for charging me Rs. 5 extra on a mineral bottle whose Mrp was Rs 15 .
......
Consequense- This guy Praveen,the owner Called me up jst 15 mintues back,profusely regreting for the incident and literally beseeching to take back this complain,even offered to send to me a money draft (Ice Upgrade ..huh?) .

My demand -Stop this harrasment of customers , he said he will work on it With immediate effect.
......

Originally Posted by aZa

Faheemmmmm this is RIPLEYS stuff !!! INSANE!!!

This is absolutely un-believable!!!
Few days back I was charged 25/- for a water bottle which is 15/- outside. I think I still have the bill and the bottle!!! Let me check and I shall send also complain. Its not about I losing 10/-, these guys might have made quite a good money out of this scam!!!

[PatienceWins]

I recently bought a pack of peanuts from Village hypermarket. It is manufactured by a small company (forgot the name) in Bangalore. Village puts their own barcoded sticker over MRP of all the items. I noticed the sticker while having peanuts. As I remembered Spitfire's experience, I removed the price sticker carefully. Village's price was 36 where as MRP of the item was 32. I was surprised to see the margin they were taking over MRP for a small item.

I am regular there as it is next to my apartment. Their collection of items is good. I need to find another place as I do not want to promote them.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by PatienceWins

Village's price was 36 where as MRP of the item was 32. I was surprised to see the margin they were taking over MRP for a small item.

This is cheating.

Maybe you guys from around there make them realize that their cheating is being noticed.