A lesser-known retail platform claiming China-wide “refund-only” policy faces user backlash

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A Chinese e-commerce platform claiming to allow users to apply for a refund without returning the product, known as a “refund-only” policy, faces a backlash from customers angered by the policy’s fine details. The platform has up to RMB 2 billion ($284 million) in refunds that have not been issued to shoppers who applied for the refund-only service, a user said in a recent Weibo post. According to Chinese media reports, Jingtaotao only accepts users with paid membership for its refund-only policy, entailing setup fees from RMB 188 to RMB 28,888. Context: The “refund-only” policy is an after-sales service popularized by Pinduoduo in 2021 with the aim of encouraging merchants to improve product quality and service. Taobao, JD, and Douyin made the same move at the end of last year amid fierce competition in China’s e-commerce sector.