A jade worth ten thousand yuan on special for one thousand? Quality Assurance Association: Beware—the cost is still coming out of your pocket.

▲ Is the quality of jade shops arranged for tour groups in China really guaranteed? This has sparked consumer disputes. (Photo / Provided by reader)

Reported by Chen Ruizhong / Taipei

《Ettoday Eastday News Cloud》 recently received a reader’s letter describing an unpleasant shopping experience during a group tour to Beijing, China, organized by a well-known travel agency. The reader stated that although the issue was ultimately resolved through “a refund and return of cash,” with no actual loss incurred, they still hoped to share their experience to warn others and avoid ruining their trip.

The reader’s letter pointed out,that the tour group, on December 3, 2013, was taken by two guides to a jewelry store located in the Olympic Sports Center.First, a female salesperson led us into a room and gave us a lecture on pearls. Then a scammer who claimed to be the manager came in, saying the store was his and that he had come personally to give us a presentation because there were too many tourists in other groups. He also said the jade in the Olympic gold-inlaid jade medals was supplied by them, which is why they could use the venue. He talked at length about how to distinguish real from fake jade. To gain our trust, he even said he would give us a gift (a pearl ring priced at 480 RMB). I never would have thought he was a scammer—I still can’t believe it.

%亩┘垡煌蚨嘣?嗣癖业的慕鹣庥裆?さ踝梗?詈笠砸磺г?嗣癖页山弧（图／读者提供)

The reader’s letter also described,“Then the salesperson led us into an exhibition room filled with jade products. He took out a pair of gold-inlaid jade zodiac pendants worth over ten thousand yuan and said he hoped we would help with some publicity. To show his goodwill, he offered to sell them to us for just 1,000 RMB.

Many of us bought a lot—out of the 15-member group, 10 purchased items from the store. But later, when the group used WiFi in the hotel lobby to look up information online, we discovered that others had reported the same location and sales tactics. We only realized we had been scammed after returning to Taiwan, as we had left for Beijing Capital Airport the next day right after breakfast at the hotel...”

According to the reader, the issue was eventually resolved bya refund and return of cashafter negotiation between the guide and the shop.

Regarding this situation,Chen Yiquan, Secretary-General of the Republic of China Travel Quality Assurance Association, stated,that according to regulations, if shopping stops are arranged in an itinerary, travel agencies are obligated to clearly indicate them in the itinerary details beforehand, and they must not force tourists to shop.

In addition, Chen Yiquan also advised consumers to develop self-protection awareness—always research product prices in advance and carefully select items while shopping.

Especially when purchasing valuable items such as gold jewelry, gemstones, or jade, if you lack confidence or professional discernment, it is advised not to buy impulsively. In particular, precious metals like gold have international market prices, and “the cost is still coming out of your pocket.” When prices seem too good to be true, extra caution is necessary to ensure a pleasant travel and shopping experience.

Travel industry insiders noted that “shopping tours” remain one of the acceptable options for tourists traveling abroad. While some travelers, disliking the time spent in shopping stops and the pressure of shopping, prefer to increase their budget to opt for “no-shopping” group tours, others enjoy buying local souvenirs and specialties and therefore choose itineraries with shopping stops.

However, once inside a shopping stop, it’s essential to carefully examine the products, understand the real market prices, and restrain your shopping impulses, lest you get caught up in the store’s persuasive tactics and end up spending a lot of money for an unpleasant experience.