preface
In the fast-paced city life, membership-based supermarkets have become the first choice for many families with their unique product categories, preferential prices and exclusive services. However, two recent incidents in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province and Foshan, Guangdong Province, have made the membership system behind this convenient service the focus of public discussion. A controversy over the family sharing and real-name management of membership cards has quietly fermented on the Internet.
Nanjing Turmoil: A "identity verification" storm caused by a membership card
On a sunny weekend in Nanjing, Ms. Zhang came to Sam's Club with carefully selected merchandise to prepare for checkout. In order to enjoy members-only discounts and services, she habitually took out her husband's membership card. This time, however, the cashier's answer surprised her: "Sorry, ma'am, we have a rule that the membership card must be used in person." This sudden request made Ms. Zhang stunned, and then she argued: "This is my husband's membership card, why can't I use it?" Am I going to show up the marriage certificate to prove our relationship? ”
This scene happened to be photographed by a customer watching and uploaded to the Internet, which quickly aroused the attention and discussion of the majority of netizens. Some people supported Ms Cheung and argued that it was reasonable for family members to share membership cards; There are also people who stand in the position of merchants and believe that real-name management will help maintain the fairness and order of the membership system.
Foshan Echo: The "brush" storm caused by parking spaces
Coincidentally, in Foshan, Guangdong, Ms. Li also encountered a similar embarrassment. During the Spring Festival, she and her husband went to Sam's Club in Panyu, Guangzhou, to buy Chinese New Year goods. Due to the shortage of parking spaces, her husband had to stay outside the car and wait, while Ms. Li took her husband's mobile phone into the supermarket to shop. At checkout, she confidently opened the Sam's Club app and was ready to show her membership card QR code. However, the cashier likewise rejected her request, insisting that the cardholder be present in person.
In the face of the cashier's insistence, Ms. Li felt both helpless and angry: "It was Sam's lack of parking spaces that caused my husband to be unable to enter, so I brought his mobile phone to check out, is this also wrong?" After some disputes, the person in charge of the store finally intervened and allowed the use in this special case, but at the same time reaffirmed the "cardholder presence" rule in the membership system.
Merchant response: real-name management to protect the rights and interests of members
As the incident continued to ferment, Sam's Club officials finally made an official response. The staff of the customer service hotline said that the Sam's Club system has always followed the principle of real-name management, aiming to protect the exclusive rights and shopping experience of each member. Whether it is a general card or an additional card, it needs to be used by the cardholder to ensure the accuracy and security of member services.
At the same time, the staff also explained the details of the membership system: after opening the main card, you can get a free supplementary card to bind the account of relatives and friends, but you still need to follow the principle of real-name system when using it. The purpose of this provision is to prevent the abuse or lending of membership cards, thereby ensuring the fairness and effectiveness of the membership system.
Legal perspective: Membership rights and interests under contractual constraints
In response to this dispute, lawyer Deng Gang of Guangdong Legal Shengbang Law Firm gave a professional legal interpretation. He pointed out that when consumers open membership cards, they actually sign a contract with the merchant, and both parties should abide by the provisions in the contract. The membership charter formulated by the merchant is legally binding on the consumer as part of the contract. Therefore, in the absence of invalidity, consumers should comply with the provisions of the merchant's membership system.
Mr. Deng also suggested that businesses should give more consideration to the traditional family concept and social reality in the mainland when formulating the membership system. For example, family members can be allowed to share the benefits of the membership card under certain conditions to better meet the needs of consumers. But this requires merchants to make reasonable decisions between balancing the fairness of the membership system with market demand.
Conclusion: To build a harmonious consumption environment, businesses and consumers need to work together
This controversy caused by the family sharing of membership cards not only tests the management wisdom and service level of merchants, but also reminds every consumer of the rules and bottom line that should be followed when enjoying membership services. In the fast-growing consumer market, understanding and communication between merchants and consumers is particularly important. Only by working together, respecting and understanding each other can we jointly create a harmonious, orderly and efficient consumption environment. Let's look forward to the coming days, merchants can launch a more humanized membership system that is close to the needs of consumers; Consumers can also view and use the rights and interests of membership cards more rationally, and jointly promote the healthy development of the consumer market.