Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the rising trend of installment shopping malls, highlighting their pricing strategies and the impact of regulatory changes on the lending industry [1][2][3]. Group 1: Installment Shopping Malls - Installment shopping malls generally sell products at a price that is over 30% higher than the market price, combined with a service fee rate of up to 24% per annum, which forms their primary profit model [1][3]. - Some installment malls have established a closed-loop system from shopping to recycling, allowing users to purchase high-priced items and then sell them back to recycling partners at a discount of 50% to 70% [1][3]. Group 2: Impact of Regulatory Changes - The implementation of new regulations by the National Financial Regulatory Administration has significantly affected the lending business, with some companies reporting a reduction in loan volumes by half [2]. - Smaller platforms, particularly those with outstanding receivables below 10 billion yuan, are facing severe challenges, leading to layoffs of 20% to 30% in some cases [2]. Group 3: Transition of Lending Companies - Many small lending companies are transitioning to installment shopping mall models, targeting customers who are unable to obtain credit from major platforms or are familiar with the installment shopping "tricks" [2][3]. - A specific example is the "Peach More" installment mall, which is operated by a third-party lending company and aims to provide a one-stop borrowing platform with various financial services [5][7]. Group 4: Pricing Discrepancies - The article provides examples of significant price discrepancies between products sold on installment malls and their prices on major e-commerce platforms, with some items being sold at prices that are more than double their market value [6][10]. - For instance, an Apple iPad Air is priced at 8,156 yuan on the installment mall, while it is available for 4,199 yuan on JD.com, indicating a substantial markup [6]. Group 5: Consumer Complaints - There are numerous complaints against installment malls like "Peach More" and "Little Elephant Premium," with issues ranging from high product prices to aggressive debt collection practices [14][15]. - The complaints highlight a pattern of users feeling misled about the true costs of products and the terms of repayment, with some users reporting that they were charged significantly more than the market price for items [14][15].

经济观察报 记者 老盈盈 上述助贷人士表示，业务体量比较大的平台也会受到影响，但整体还能扛得住。规模小尤其待收规模 100亿元以下的平台，受到的影响特别大。他身边裁员的助贷公司越来越多，裁员比例在20%至30%的 都有，而他所在的公司正在考虑转型分期商城。 多名助贷人士告诉经济观察报记者，近期有些小型助贷公司针对下沉客户，正在转型分期商城业务。这 类助贷平台的目标客户一般是两类人，一种是无法在花呗、京东、美团等大型互联网平台获得授信、资 质较差的用户，或者是已经被金融机构列入黑名单的用户；另外一种是着急变现、深谙分期商城"套 路"的人。 上述助贷人士表示，这些分期商城的商品较市场价整体溢价30%以上，叠加24%年利率以内的分期服务 费率，成为分期商城主要的盈利模式。个别分期商城还建立了从购物至回收业务上的闭环，用户在分期 商城高价下单商品，再通过合作回收商，以5折至7折的折价变现。 溢价 上述华东地区的助贷人士表示，他最近关注到一家名为"桃多多"的分期商城已上线运营。由第三方助贷 公司运营的分期商城，有别于互联网平台、家电品牌、银行、持牌消费金融公司运营的分期商城，后者 因为品牌知名度高，有自己的获客生态，获 ...