I bought two durians from a roadside stall for VND50,000 (US$1.93) per kilogram, just half the market price, only to realize I was cheated out of VND100,000 (US$3.85) as the fruits were shortweighted.
About one or two weeks back, when I was returning home from work outside the city, I noticed a stall beside the road that had gathered quite an audience. The sight of a cardboard sign announcing durians for only VND50,000 per kilogram piqued my interest.
Durians were being sold for VND70,000 to VND90,000 per kilogram.
At local markets and up to around VND100,000-130,000 at larger outlets.
Intrigued by the surprisingly low cost, I decided to stop and have a closer look. The fruit appeared fresh, firm, and very attractive, so I chose two pieces and enquired about their bargain pricing. The vendor explained, “We’ve got access to an inexpensive source and aim to clear our stock swiftly, which is why we’re offering them at such reduced rates.”
Her reasoning appeared sound, prompting me to go ahead and take the chance. Numerous people around us were purchasing two or three durians per person, with a few individuals opting for as many as five.
Once the fruit was weighed, the vendor gave me a bag containing the two durians I selected and informed me that they cost VND370,000 for a total of 7.4 kilograms. This seemed questionable since the produce didn’t appear exceptionally big and the bag wasn’t very hefty. Concerned about this, I questioned whether the weight was accurate. The vendor promptly responded, “Feel free to check the weight yourself. Should it be less than stated, I’ll compensate you double.”
Certainly, as I didn’t have a scale handy, I figured it wouldn’t be an issue if the weight wasn’t exact, considering I was receiving a fair deal anyway.
After getting back home, I placed the two durians on my kitchen scale. It read 5.4 kilograms, revealing that I had been cheated out of approximately 2 kilograms based on the vendor’s claim. This confirmed my suspicions. I felt incredibly frustrated, as if I had clearly been taken advantage of. Losing those 2 kilograms meant losing around VND100,000; despite this, I still paid nearly the full market rate.
It wasn’t my maiden encounter with receiving less than advertised when purchasing produce from street vendors. Several months prior, I purchased some mangoes from a sidewalk stand only to find that the claimed one-kilogram weight was actually just seven hundred grams. What seemed like a good deal ended up being quite costly.
Street sellers frequently exploit customers’ trust and their difficulty in verifying measurements by underweighing products and misleading them.
I think government agencies should step in and conduct routine inspections of measurement devices used by street vendors and wet market stalls. Anyone caught altering these instruments to cheat customers ought to face substantial penalties. This way, we can decrease unethical behavior and enhance consumer protection.
Have you faced a comparable scenario?
*The opinions have been converted to English using AI assistance. The readers’ perspectives are personal and may not align with VnExpress’ viewpoints.
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