According to a report from Beijing Business Today on April 22nd, major e-commerce players in the Chinese mainland such as Pinduoduo, Taobao, Douyin, Kuaishou, and JD.com are planning to discontinue the “refund without return” policy. Going forward, when customers who have already received their items submit refund requests, merchants will have the authority to decide whether to approve them.
The “refund without return” policy was first launched by Pinduoduo in 2021 and later adopted by JD.com, Taobao, Douyin, and Kuaishou in 2024. After four years of implementation, this policy is now being phased out. Industry platforms have engaged in several rounds of discussions and revisions with regulatory agencies regarding the specific details of its cancellation. Once these details are finalized, they will be made public.
An analysis from The Paper pointed out that during the four-year implementation of this policy, it became evident how challenging it was to strike a balance among platforms, merchants, and users. Merchants, in particular, were at a significant disadvantage, and the overall effect created an unviable competitive landscape where no party truly emerged victorious.
The 21st Century Business Herald emphasized that although the policy was originally intended to safeguard consumer rights, it unexpectedly led to the emergence of a black market that exploited the refund system for financial gain. A 2024 survey conducted by the E-Commerce Research Institute showed that in the previous year, only 1.06% of merchants had not experienced any problems related to “refund without return.” In contrast, 89.05% of merchants strongly opposed the policy, while a mere 1.39% supported it.
