网购促销预售模式中“定金不退”条款的效力

The Effect of the“Non-refundable Deposit”Clause in the Pre-sale Mode of Online Shopping Promotion

“定金+尾款”的预售模式业已成为当下网购促销时的惯行做法,在预售模式下普遍设置的“定金不退”条款面临着含义模糊、与消费者反悔权冲突、隐蔽地侵害消费者权益等问题。网购促销预售模式中的“定金不退”条款应被认定为违约定金。该条款对消费者不甚公平合理,无法通过格式条款的效力审查。即使维持其效力,定金罚则的适用也应考虑是否构成根本违约以及参照适用违约金司法酌减规则。消费者反悔权与“定金不退”条款存在法律评价冲突,而且该条款的实际效果未必满足商家利益和条款设立目的。

At present,the pre-sale mode of"deposit plus final payment"has become a common practice in online shopping promotion.The"non-refundable deposit"clause generally set up under the pre-sale mode is faced with some problems,such as vague meaning,conflict with consumers’right to rescission,covert infringement of consumers’rights and interests,and so on.The"non-refundable deposit"clause in the pre-sale mode of online shopping promotion should be recognized as the deposit for breach of contract.This clause is not fair and reasonable to consumers and cannot pass the examination of the effectiveness of the standard terms.Even if its effect is maintained,the application of the deposit penalty should consider whether it constitutes a fundamental breach of contract and make reference to the applicable judicial discretion rule of liquidated damages.There is a conflict of legal evaluation between consumers’right to rescission and the clause of"non-refundable deposit",and the actual effect of this clause may not meet the interests of businessmen and the purpose of setting up the clause.