Chinese Investigators Raid Mercedes Benz Office in Shanghai

[Edison Chen]

Chinese anti-trust officials have raided German car giant Mercedes Benz’s office in Shanghai, according to local media reports.

Anti-trust investigators from the National Development and Reform Commission seized computers from Mercedes Benz’s office and officials interviewed all workers from the company.

The state-controlled People's Daily said early Tuesday on its English Twitter feed that nine anti-trust officials met with Mercedes executives in their Shanghai offices and “forcibly checked PCs”.

Local media reports say the investigation will focus on Mercedes price policy in China as well as its relationship with local dealers. More car dealers are likely to be investigated following the Mercedes probe.

Beijing has been investigating claims that foreign car companies over charge their Chinese clients since June this year. Mercedes has dropped prices of its spare parts twice in the last few months.

The investigation comes just days after a similar surprise raid of the offices of US technology giant Microsoft in four cities across the country by the State Administration for Industry & Commerce.

According to a statement released by SAIC, the raids were aimed at finding information about how Microsoft bundles its software together and about some of its security features.

 

[BoQ77]

China want to officially rob the know how of US and Western corp

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

if there is price discrimination then they should raise it up at higher levels with WTO.....a local car dealership or office wont always have access to more centralized (and well guarded) information like price mechanisms. But i could be wrong

i have an idea - tell them to expedite delivery of those new stretched S-class Pullman saloons.....thats a set of wheels i wouldnt mind being in, if i may say

 

[cirr]

This is long over due。


Mercedes-Benz cuts spare-part prices on anti-monopoly probe

By Zhang Jie (chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2014-08-04 13:57

The new Mercedes-Benz 2015 C-Class is displayed during a private preview for media at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel in Detroit, Michigan Jan 12, 2014, on the eve of the 2014 North American International Auto Show. [Photo/Agencies]

German automaker Mercedes-Benz will cut the prices of spare parts by an average of 15 percent in after-sales maintenance for all models as of Sept 1 in China in response to the country's antitrust regulator's investigation, the Economic Information Daily newspaper reported Monday.

According to Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co Ltd, as much as 10,000 types of spare parts covering all Mercedes-Benz models will see a price reduction starting next month. Among the spare parts set for price cuts, prices of windshields will be reduced by 29 percent, those of power steering pumps 24 percent and radiators by 16 percent.

Average spare-part prices will be cut by 15 percent amid this round of adjustment, said Marc-Oliver Nandy, executive vice-president of after-sales at Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co Ltd.

Earlier China Daily report said the carmaker on July cut the cost of maintenance by 20 percent on average covering both smart cars and Mercedes-Benz models, including the A-, B-, C-, E-, GLK-, M-, R-, and S-Class. And the reduction for some specific models could be as much as 50 percent.

The company was the first major international car manufacturer to cut after-sales cost amid China's anti-monopoly probe followed by Jaguar Land Rover and Audi, which are reducing the prices of their vehicles, parts and after-sales service as of Aug 1.

Mercedes-Benz cuts spare-part prices on anti-monopoly probe - Business - Chinadaily.com.cn

 

[cirr]

The days when foreign brands are allowed to freely practice price discrimination in China and make exorbitant profits off Chinese consumers are numbered。

It is simply wrong that a Mercedes with a price tag of 100000 USD in Germany sells for 3 times the price in China。

All foreign brands，especially the luxury ones，need to watch out and toe the line。

 

[Kolaps]

China want to officially rob the know how of US and Western corp

No need to do it, as there are patent office.

To register a patent, you must reveal all your secret and know-how.

If you are not patented it, and someone copy it, you can't complain because it is.


Patent Office has two roles.

One is to spread the technology know-how to the public.

Second is giving a reward to the inventor with a monopoly right in certain period.


Chinese steal is just a political propaganda.

 

[Kyle Sun]

No need to do it, as there are patent office.

To register a patent, you must reveal all your secret and know-how.

If you are not patented it, and someone copy it, you can't complain because it is.


Patent Office has two roles.

One is to spread the technology know-how to the public.

Second is giving a reward to the inventor with a monopoly right in certain period.


Chinese steal is just a political propaganda.

So naive to believe the so called " know how" info will be in the china office.

Or pretend to be naive.

 

[TaiShang]

China want to officially rob the know how of US and Western corp

And you assume the task to bark for Western companies.

 

[BuddhaPalm]

Mercedes and Benz should compete with each other to offer better products to consumers. It's time to break the evil collusion between these two companies.

 

[Beidou2020]

Probably just a push to make Chinese people and corrupt party officials buy the homemade Chinese junk rather than spend foreign exchange on luxury cars.

May as well steal the patented technologies, but I doubt trash like Chery can ever come up to merc standards even if given the technology.

Another CIA bot.

 

[Okemos]

if there is price discrimination then they should raise it up at higher levels with WTO.....a local car dealership or office wont always have access to more centralized (and well guarded) information like price mechanisms. But i could be wrong

i have an idea - tell them to expedite delivery of those new stretched S-class Pullman saloons.....thats a set of wheels i wouldnt mind being in, if i may say

What? I thought WTO only regulates state actions, such as tariffs, subsidies, trade barriers etc. Monopoly, pricing discrimination etc by private companies are the domain of the host country's government. Otherwise, you are expanding the power of WTO enormously, lol. Just because a company is owned by a foreigner, doesn't mean international law applies. Plus, in this age, ownership of private companies is rather complicated.

Probably just a push to make Chinese people and corrupt party officials buy the homemade Chinese junk rather than spend foreign exchange on luxury cars.

May as well steal the patented technologies, but I doubt trash like Chery can ever come up to merc standards even if given the technology.

Your blind hatred of China has driven you mad. How is probe into Benz even affecting Chery since they are not even competing in the same bracket. One is luxury market, the other is lower end.

Even if the government is helping homemade companies, what can those foreign companies other than compliance? lol I love those blind hatred of some foreigners, making average Chinese realize their rosy picture of the freedom,democracy, blah blah loving foreigners is so misguided.

 

[Jlaw]

The days when foreign brands are allowed to freely practice price discrimination in China and make exorbitant profits off Chinese consumers are numbered。

It is simply wrong that a Mercedes with a price tag of 100000 USD in Germany sells for 3 times the price in China。

All foreign brands，especially the luxury ones，need to watch out and toe the line。

My only concern is why some Chinese consumers are willing to pay $300k USD for a mercedez when that can get you Ferraris and lower end Lamborghini, unless these are also 3x the price in China?

 

[vtnsx]

Chinese anti-trust officials have raided German car giant Mercedes Benz’s office in Shanghai, according to local media reports.

Anti-trust investigators from the National Development and Reform Commission seized computers from Mercedes Benz’s office and officials interviewed all workers from the company.

The state-controlled People's Daily said early Tuesday on its English Twitter feed that nine anti-trust officials met with Mercedes executives in their Shanghai offices and “forcibly checked PCs”.

Local media reports say the investigation will focus on Mercedes price policy in China as well as its relationship with local dealers. More car dealers are likely to be investigated following the Mercedes probe.

Beijing has been investigating claims that foreign car companies over charge their Chinese clients since June this year. Mercedes has dropped prices of its spare parts twice in the last few months.

The investigation comes just days after a similar surprise raid of the offices of US technology giant Microsoft in four cities across the country by the State Administration for Industry & Commerce.

According to a statement released by SAIC, the raids were aimed at finding information about how Microsoft bundles its software together and about some of its security features.

Lol, just like they arrested a Canadian couple recently for some sort of infringement. LOL this is an effective way for Chinese to eliminate FDI. Good on China. LOL

China arrests Canadian couple who run coffee shop in border city over alleged theft of state secrets | National Post

 

[eazzy]

^ Better than burning factories.

 

[Aepsilons]

You're kidding right?

Anti-Japan protests erupt in China over disputed islands - CNN.com