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A few days ago, I went to the market and saw many vendors selling durians along the roadside. The stalls advertising VND70,000 per kilogram had no customers, while the ones with signs that said “durian with small seeds for VND30,000” were packed.

Curious, I stopped to check it out, thinking it might be the popular Thai mini durian. A group of tourists also pulled up and got off their bus to buy some.

“How much is the durian per kilogram?” one of them asked.

The seller replied, “VND70,000 per kilo.” When a tourist pointed out that the sign said VND30,000, the seller casually responded, “We do have durians for VND30,000,” and pointed to two tiny, unripe fruits that could not be eaten right away.

A woman standing next to me scoffed, saying, “Buy those and you might not even find any edible flesh inside.”

As more customers questioned the pricing, the seller grew irritated and snapped, “It’s not like I don’t have durians for 30,000!”

The seller showed no guilt, as if this kind of misleading pricing was perfectly normal. And maybe it is, because I have seen it in many places.

Some vendors display large price numbers but hide small-print details like “per half kilo” to trick customers. Others list prices by the 100 grams but charge by the kilo, especially for meat or seafood.

This kind of dishonest business practice is not new. What I find troubling is how common it still is. Do sellers think people will just go along with it once they have already stopped and asked?

They might manage to sell a few kilos of fruit, but as consumers become more informed, these manipulating tactics are not only off-putting but also damaging to their business.

No one is stopping you from setting high prices. But be clear about them. When customers feel tricked or disrespected, they will not only leave but also warn others.

*The opinions were translated into English with the assistance of AI. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.