Prices too good to be true, bookseller says
By Winny Wang |
August 13, 2011, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
MORE than 1,000 would-be book buyers have sent a lawyer's letter to an online retailer after their orders were canceled.
The group of 1,047 say Dangdang.com canceled their orders placed during a 72-hour promotion that began on August 9 to sell children's books at discount prices. Many consumers who successfully submitted orders found out later that the company canceled them, and some books were even recalled after they had been delivered.
Dangdang.com responded in a statement that its staff had made a mistake in entering the discount amount, so the prices were incorrect. It apologized to customers who had their orders canceled and said they would each receive a 30-yuan (US$4.70) coupon in compensation.
But consumers, many of whom had stayed up late to be among the first to get their orders in, said they were unhappy with the company's response. They sent the lawyer's letter telling the company to fulfill their orders or face legal action.
One customer said he waited up until midnight to order a set of books on sale at 55 yuan, down from their original price of 1,242 yuan. The order was accepted, but when he woke up the next morning he found that it had been canceled. Another buyer said he received his books but, shortly after, an express delivery man came to his office to take them back.
"When consumers submit their orders successfully, a contract has been formed between them and Dangdang.com," said Shanghai lawyer Liu Chunquan. "To cancel the orders, Dangdang.com must gain support from the court by proving that they really input the wrong prices."
The group of 1,047 say Dangdang.com canceled their orders placed during a 72-hour promotion that began on August 9 to sell children's books at discount prices. Many consumers who successfully submitted orders found out later that the company canceled them, and some books were even recalled after they had been delivered.
Dangdang.com responded in a statement that its staff had made a mistake in entering the discount amount, so the prices were incorrect. It apologized to customers who had their orders canceled and said they would each receive a 30-yuan (US$4.70) coupon in compensation.
But consumers, many of whom had stayed up late to be among the first to get their orders in, said they were unhappy with the company's response. They sent the lawyer's letter telling the company to fulfill their orders or face legal action.
One customer said he waited up until midnight to order a set of books on sale at 55 yuan, down from their original price of 1,242 yuan. The order was accepted, but when he woke up the next morning he found that it had been canceled. Another buyer said he received his books but, shortly after, an express delivery man came to his office to take them back.
"When consumers submit their orders successfully, a contract has been formed between them and Dangdang.com," said Shanghai lawyer Liu Chunquan. "To cancel the orders, Dangdang.com must gain support from the court by proving that they really input the wrong prices."
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