The consumer rights protection commissions are trying hard to assist unhappy consumers, but their efforts have gone largely unrecognized.

　　Just 20 percent of consumers would turn to the commission for help if their rights were infringed upon, according to a survey conducted by Market-Expert (Shanghai) Co Ltd, which sent a questionnaire to 426 consumers in Shanghai and 1,539 consumers in Beijing, Nanjing and another three cities.

　　Of those surveyed, nearly 400 said they had complained to the commission or consumer associations. Forty-three percent said they were satisfied with the assistance they received, while 30 percent were dissatisfied.

　　The rest described services provided as mediocre.

　　Nearly 40 percent said they would prefer solving their problems by dealing directly with sellers or manufacturers. More than 30 percent would complain to authorities or the media.

　　"I wouldn't bother complaining to the consumer rights protection commission," said Xu Yinli, a local resident. "They are not equipped to solve my problems."

　　Xu complained to a consumers' association two years ago when a shop turned down his request to repair his new washing machine. Weeks of mediation led nowhere.

　　When his heater broke down last winter and the shop from which he purchased it reneged on its promise to repair it, Xu turned to a different source - the media.

　　"The day after my complaint was broadcast by the media, a repair staff team was sent, and my heater was fixed."

　　Xu is not alone.

　　Each day the city's Oriental Television Station's hot line receives about 100 consumer complaints, accounting for about 40 percent of all calls.

　　Yuan Jiafu, a reporter at East Radio Shanghai who has handled several consumer complaints himself as a hot line host, commented: "Turning to the media can be a great way to solve certain problems."

　　Yuan's assertion is true as the commission has limitations in terms of what it can do to protect consumers.

　　"We can only mediate between consumers and sellers or manufacturers and prompt reconciliation, as no right is given to us to impose any punishment,"said Zhao Jiaoli, secretary general of the Shanghai Consumers' Rights and Interests Protection Commission.