Coinciding with Consumer Rights Protection Day on March 15, the China Association for Quality Promotion (CAQP) released a report in cooperation with five Beijing universities revealing that one in four college students would not bother to take any recourse if their consumer rights were violated.

Of the 1,034 students surveyed, most have experienced infringement of their consumer rights in at least one of five areas: purchasing poor quality goods (13 percent), overpaying for a product (27 percent), falling victim to false advertising (26.5 percent), unfulfilled warranty services (37 percent) and fake brands (9 percent).

Once students discover this violation, 38 percent expressed they would appeal to consumer rights institutions and 35.5 percent would turn to the media. However, as much as one fourth said they would cut their losses and do nothing, citing lack of resource, time or knowledge about how to exercise their rights as a consumer.

Shopping stings

For Qian Jin, an international relations freshman at China Foreign Affairs University, it was a question of lacking both time and energy to fight back.

Hanging out with his classmates in Xidan, Beijing last year, Qian was invited by some young women who claimed themselves from Chinese PLA General Hospital who were looking for volunteers to conduct tests on the effects of radiation from computer screens on facial tissue.

"I use computers a lot, so I was curious," said Qian.

After following the women, he realized their "hospital" was actually a beauty salon, where a cosmetologist began giving him a deep cleansing facial.

"I had to spend more than 100 yuan ($14.65) to clean my pores. Later, I realized that I was cheated," Qian said. "But at that time, I just came to Beijing and was not familiar with the city. I was putting all of my energy into preparing for the national grad student entrance exam and had no time to fight back, so I just gave up."

Don't want any trouble

The survey also revealed that a third of students didn't know which department they turn to for help in filing complaints. Xie Kehui is one of them.

Xie, a first year grad student at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, was shopping for a computer in Zhongguancun, Beijing last September, when he was talked into a model after the salesman said the one he was looking for had sold out.

After returning to his dorm and turning it on, the boot screen displayed specs far inferior to those the salesman described. Though he was not satisfied, he decided it wasn't worth to go back and complain.

"I wouldn't even know how to go about it," Xie said.

The survey also claims that 71.6 percent are deterred from exercising their rights because they "dislike making trouble."

Tian, an electrical engineering junior at Tsinghua University in Beijing, bought a mobile phone in Harbin, Heillongjiang Province. Two years later, one button stopped working.

Even though the store honored the warranty, the same problem happened another three times. After the third time, she just stopped trying.

"It's too troublesome for me to bother," Tian said.

Fighting back

Some students are not taking no for an answer, fighting back and winning against what seems impossible odds.

Two years ago, Ruan Xiao bought a Hewlett-Packard laptop that constantly malfunctioned. After repairing it three times and replacing the motherboard, the Zhejiang University law student complained to HP and asked for a new one, but the computer giant refused.

Not one to give up, Ruan filed his case with the Hangzhou West Lake District People's Court.

Before the case went to trial, HP contacted Ruan last month offering to return his money. Although it took time and energy, Ruan only spent about 140 yuan in preparation and transportation.

Law experts attribute students' giving up on exercising their consumer rights to lack of familiarity with the law.

"When consuming rights are infringed upon, students should lodge a complaint with either customer service, business associations or consult a lawyer," said Wu Hongwei, an economic law professor at the Renmin University of China (RUC).

According to Feng Yujun, a law professor at RUC, students should practice responsible consumer habits like keeping receipts, and also take advantage of their numbers and exercise their power as a group.

"When students' consumer rights are violated, if one stands up, others can also enjoy the benefits," said Feng.