Martin Li

    martin.mouse@163.com

    SHENZHEN Consumer Council received 1,721 complaints from consumers about courier services last year, more than doubling the amount in 2013, the council announced yesterday.

    About 40 percent of the complaints accused courier services providers of failing to check the authenticity of addresses for online sellers of counterfeit products.

    Consumers were unable to have disputes solved because of not having the correct contact information of the sellers.

    Courier services providers are required by the country’s online trading management rules to actively assist related governmental departments like the commerce department in crackdowns on illegal online business activities by means of providing information, including the authentic contact information of sellers. Courier services providers are obliged to verify online sellers’ addresses, according to the rules.

    Damaged and lost packages were also another main source of consumer complaints.

    However, it’s difficult for consumers to seek compensation when their parcels get delayed because courier services providers often fail to abide by related laws and service standards. Some even choose to deal with consumer disputes in a negative manner, the council said.

    When parcels get damaged or lost, many courier services providers only give a small amount of compensation by taking advantage of unfair clauses in the existing postal law and courier services management regulations, the council said.

    A man, surnamed Luo, paid the Shenzhen branch of Shanghai-based Shentong Express to deliver a Samsung mobile phone worth 1,520 yuan (US$244) March 9 last year. Both Luo and the courier took a photo of the mobile phone before it was collected by the courier.

    The parcel was lost. Luo demanded 1,520 yuan in compensation from the delivery company and he was asked to provide the photo of the phone.

    The company said the parcel was not insured and only offered to compensate him 500 yuan.

    The council said some courier services providers are not headquartered in Shenzhen and only provide services through franchises in the city, only allowing them to deal with consumer complaints based on their own standards. It suggested that consumers choose courier service providers with a good reputation and have valuable and fragile parcels insured.

    Last year, 271 complaints were filed against Shenzhen-based Shunfeng Express, more than any other company in the industry, followed by Shentong Express and Yunda Express, according to the council’s statistics.

    Shunfeng collected and delivered 300 million parcels last year.