Nepali Times
PAAVAN MATHEMA
My Two Paisa
(Don't) keep the change


PAAVAN MATHEMA


The board at the health check-up counter at the transportation department clearly states its charge as Rs 8.90. But the officer at the counter will demand Rs 10, and most will readily pay. Where does the Rs 1.10 go?

Our service providers have a persistent tendency to round off what's owed when we pay, but this hardly ever works out in the consumer's favour. Domestic airport tax is Rs 169.50 but passengers are charged Rs 170. Electricity bill of Rs 874.45? Accounting principles be damned, you are most likely to pay Rs 875, not Rs 874. At the petrol station, the attendant might ease off on the dispenser when the meter reaches Rs 874.43 and demand Rs 875, even though he could easily have gotten closer to giving you what you paid for.

To some, this might seem inevitable. Where are the coins for such small change anyway? But it's not just about getting back your mohars and sukas, we rarely get change of two or three rupees back, and when we do it might be in the form of a toffee you don't want (or at least not in that flavour). Often it's not even that; a pre-paid mobile recharge card may have an MRP of Rs 102, but the seller won't hand it over unless you pay Rs 105. We don't even question it because it seems petty. But if returning the correct change is such a hassle, why not charge a round figure in the first place? These odd figures allow vendors to openly cheat consumers.

What all these people are doing is 'penny-shaving', which is the fraudulent practice of stealing money over and over again in very small quantities. This is usually done by rounding off. But it doesn't take a genius to recognise that a rupee here and a rupee there can add up to very many rupees indeed. With 2.4 million customers for NCell, you can imagine how many rupees are being filched every day.

So what do we do? In principle, we have the right to get our money's worth, even the paisas. The nominal value of a rupee or a paisa should not be lost. It might be impossible give back the paisas in cash transactions but a rupee can certainly be returned. Perhaps a slow switch to plastic money, e-banking or mobile money is an option, through which you can pay the exact amount for your consumption.

As consumers, we have the basic right to be safe, to choose freely, to be heard and to be informed. The level of consumer awareness in Nepal is still low and the protection we have from the state is limited. The Consumer Protection Act 1997 needs to be updated to deal with modern-day consumer concerns. There isn't a specific platform where consumer complaints are heard, and we do not have a consumer court yet that can give quick judgments. Two years ago, the government instructed all stores to display a price list of all essential commodities because of variations among stores. But most retailers have simply ignored this directive.

As we celebrate World Consumer Rights Day this 15 March, let us move towards becoming aware and informed consumers. Don't quietly accept that candy unless you actually purchased it. Let's not pay for what we do not consume and if we do, demand to know where it goes. Unless you want them to, don't let them keep that change.

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1. Ayush Ghimire

hmm.. i used to think about it while taking taxies in ktm... they dont bother giving back anything less than Rs. 10... and if u ask for it then the driver wud start shouting "taxi chadna sakni manche ni k 4 rupya ko lai kich kich gari ra!!"

enjoyed reading your article... keep it up!!



2. Rabi Thapa

Great article. Thank you for reminding us that every paise is our very hard earned money. Will definitely be lending support to World Consumer Day.

 

 

 



3. Bipaswi
Great article for consumer awareness . . . Consumers are so worried about what the next person in the line will say they usually give up their change for something they dont want. Its definately unethical for business to exhibit this kind of behavior. What we dont think about is collectively how much all this change adds up to and what happens to it. Think about it viceversa . . . would the business take a candy if you were short a rupee?? I think the answer is not . .  so why let businesses cheat you openly??


4. nayana prasad
is nepali times celebrating women's day by replacing beed with a woman? nice! 
fresh outlook, good to read. we nepalis have this habit of adjusting and letting things pass by us. we allow ourselves to be duped. thopa thopa le samundra bancha, and here we are letting all that money go. but this piece raises more questions than answers. any insight on where that money really goes?


5. V. Chhetri
On several occasions I have objected the practice of giving candy instead of returning loose coin, but the departmental stores do not pay heed. Why would they as our state owned corporations are fleecing  people without giving candy!  So, we have to satisfy ourselves that at least we are getting our hard earned money back in the form of candies, whether you can eat it or have kids to give away! 

Consumer awareness is just one side of the coin.  The other and the most critical aspect is consumer protection by the state.  Asking shops to hang the price list without enforcing it and making non-compliance a punishable act has no meaning.  Likewise, unless and until the practice of not returning loose change is made punishable (swiftly and preferably on the spot) act, nothing will change. 

In countries where the level of public accountability is high, tellers return every single penny to buyers.  Plastic cards may help but it will take a long time for each Nepali to carry plastic card. 


6. B
Loved your article. I completely agree with you. I have never accepted toffees they give out different stores and am not going to start any time soon. Was a time when Bhatbhateni use to give out 2 or 3 toffees at one go. It is such a rip off.

7. Soni
When I was a kid, many thousands of years ago, I collected a stash of these toffees that the man at the stationary pasal used to give me. And then tried to use the stash to buy my favorite pen, (the transparent Mitsubishi for 16, I think), I did not get it, but the chap did not give me anymore candies in change either.

I didn't think anybody would be as concerned about the pennies as me, but thanks, this is really sweet. 


8. Manish
Loved the new article. These unaccounted change may seem trivial but on an aggregate level they will be substantial so a great job pointing it out. Also, we need to discuss what the next steps are to rectify the situation such as: a stronger enforcement of rule of law on say the retailers, a public feedback forum / platform (say a phone number that collects and publishes information from the public on which businesses are conducting such practices).

I am hoping there will be more interesting ones to follow on this column.


9. Pranoy
Pardon me for the negativity here, but we have become a bunch of "esto bhaye huntiyo" people, rather than doing something about it. I admit our country is in a state of political chaos and passing a law that enforces price regulation is inconceivable. It is time we did something to let the government know that our faith in their "system" has faltered.


10. Krisha
What we are accustomed to is that we do not know the value of money. Yes it seems petty and even I do it, mostly because I do not want to stay through the time of the vender sorting out through coins trying to figure out how much is 112-120. We do need a system of being honest. This account of us being irresponsible in money matter is why our country is still poor. Last time I was in Nepal I made it a point to ask back for change with Taxi's. When they would reluctanly hand me back, I would hand them back the change, which surprised most of them. I wanted them to realise that it was not becase I did not want to tip them, but it was so that they would realise that it is their duty and my right to get the change back. I also made it a point to carry change around, so if the vendor says I dont have change I would ask for the money back and give then the change. All of this is to day that we as customers need to be smart about our money. It all starts with us, because they are doing business and if they can squeeze the extra paisa out of the customers why wouldn't they?

11. ishwar shrestha

Great article. The fact is that the Chanchun are scarce. Why not give token for the chanchun's worth? Serious peole will keep them and use it in the future deal.

 

 



12. silu maya

I tried to get my 3 rupees from a department store, but was sadly given few mango bites. When I asked for my "real" money, I was treated as if I was saying something absurd.

A few rupees here, a few rupees there will easily make fifty in a week.

I tried my bit.

Tara garney ta k! 



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(11 JAN 2013 - 17 JAN 2013)


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