Customers in southern Taiwan were yesterday surprised to find that AIP Digital Home Appliance (AIP數位家電) stores had been shut down and they were unable to get refunds after the firm’s owners allegedly disappeared with company assets totaling more than NT$100 million (US$3.2 million).
After numerous complaints, Kaohsiung police said that they would investigate, adding that they suspected the proprietors, a married couple surnamed Huang (黃), deliberately went out of business to declare for bankruptcy and defraud customers.
The company in 2014 opened its flagship store in Kaohsiung before expanding to four stores, including in Pingtung County and Tainan, its Web site showed, attracting customers by selling discounted top brands of air-conditioners and home electronics, plus installation services.
Photo: Fang Chih-hsien, Taipei Times
The names and logos of prominent brands such as BenQ, Sampo, Chimei, Hitachi, Panasonic, Samsung, LG, Philips, Daikin and Whirlpool were displayed on banners and billboards of AIP stores, giving people the impression that the firm had links with domestic and international companies.
Lo Yu-cheng (羅裕城), a criminal investigator at a police precinct in Kaohsiung’s Sanmin District (三民), said that more than 20 people have filed complaints regarding the case.
“Those who have filed complaints said that they are members, as AIP offered a paid membership that entitled members to a 10 percent discount from regular listed market prices when buying home appliances,” he said.
AIP’s program had an estimated 500 members, Lo said, adding that the Huangs closed the four stores amid speculation they had cash flow problems and were unable to pay suppliers.
“We have heard from suppliers about bounced checks from AIP, as well as customers who placed orders and paid, but received no deliveries,” he said.
One man surnamed Hsueh (薛) said that he had just bought and paid for an air-conditioner from AIP for NT$23,000 — NT$2,000 less than at other stores for the same product — but no workers showed up at his home on Thursday to install it as promised.
“I called the company and there was no answer. Then I went to the store, but found that it was closed,” Hsueh said.
He and other members of AIP’s program have formed a self-help association, which plans to hire a lawyer to file a lawsuit against the Huangs, he said.
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