TCL and Hisense, Chinese TV manufacturers, have reportedly been sued in a class action in the United States for false advertising and other issues.
On the 6th, the industry reported that Stephan Herrick, a resident of California, filed a lawsuit against TCL's North American subsidiary in California's Riverside County Court on behalf of consumers.
Herrick, who purchased a 55-inch QLED TV from TCL through Amazon in July last year, stated in the complaint that "TCL concealed the technical specifications and display performance of its QLED TVs and falsely advertised that the QLED TVs incorporated QLED technology," adding that "in reality, the products contained no QLED technology or only a minimal amount."
Herrick noted, "TCL is committing fraudulent acts with the intention of deceiving consumers," and stated, "Due to TCL's business practices, owners of TCL QLED TVs have suffered losses by paying unjustly higher prices," demanding that TCL cease false advertising and compensate for damages. The models include Q651, Q672G, and A300W, and the complaint also listed other models sold as QLEDs in California.
Hisense has also faced a class action lawsuit in recent days for violating consumer protection laws at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Robert Masiocse, a resident of New York, representing the consumers involved in the class action, stated that "Hisense advertised its TVs as containing QLED or quantum dot technology, but in reality, those technologies were lacking, failing to deliver the quality expected by consumers."
Masiocse purchased a 43-inch QLED TV from Hisense at Best Buy in November last year. He stated in the complaint, "The product description included that 'quantum dot color technology is included, providing more vivid colors,' but in reality, that technology was absent," adding, "Had I known this, I would not have purchased it, or I would have paid a lower price."
TVs using quantum dot materials are recognized as premium products in the market. The term 'QLED TV' is believed to imply that quantum dots were actually used. According to market research firm Omdia, 2.75 million QLED TVs were sold globally last year, accounting for 10.9% of the total TV market, surpassing a 10% share for the first time.