Core Insights - The article discusses the rising return rates in the women's apparel e-commerce sector in China, highlighting the drastic measures taken by merchants, such as the introduction of oversized tags, to combat the issue of excessive returns [2][6][11] Group 1: Return Rates and Their Impact - The return rate for women's clothing on e-commerce platforms has reached 50%-60%, with live-streaming e-commerce seeing rates as high as 70%-80% [6] - During major sales events like "Double 11," some merchants report return rates exceeding 90%, indicating a systemic issue rather than a temporary fluctuation [6][11] - High return rates are not just a loss of sales but threaten the entire business model, as logistics costs and reverse processing add significant financial strain on merchants [11][12] Group 2: Merchant Strategies - Merchants are implementing large, conspicuous tags to deter "malicious returns," aiming to establish a clear definition of "unused" products [7][8] - The design of these tags is strategic, making it difficult for consumers to wear items without removing the tag, thus increasing the cost of "using" the product for those who intend to return it [7][8] - This approach, however, risks alienating genuine customers who may feel distrusted and have their shopping experience negatively impacted [8] Group 3: Platform Influence - E-commerce platforms have contributed to high return rates by creating a user-friendly return policy that has effectively turned the return process into a "free trial" for consumers [5][6][13] - The platforms benefit from increased user engagement and sales volume while shifting the financial burden of returns onto merchants [13][14] - The article suggests that platforms could leverage their data and algorithms to address these issues more effectively rather than relying on punitive measures against merchants [16] Group 4: Underlying Issues - The phenomenon of high return rates is exacerbated by discrepancies between product expectations and reality, often due to misleading marketing practices [14][15] - The article argues that the focus should shift from punitive measures to improving product quality and customer trust to reduce the desire to return items [16]

Core Viewpoint - The implementation of the "Seven-Day No Reason Return" group standard in Jiangsu aims to create a healthy consumption environment by integrating government regulation, industry self-discipline, and association guidance [1][5]. Group 1: Government and Industry Collaboration - The Jiangsu Provincial Health and Wellness Industry Association, along with local market supervision authorities, is actively promoting the "Seven-Day No Reason Return" standard to enhance consumer trust and protect consumer rights [1][5]. - A collaborative effort is being made to establish a new governance model that includes government oversight, corporate self-regulation, association support, and social supervision [5]. Group 2: Company Engagement - Jiangsu Jiangdayuan Ecological Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and Jiangsu Daosimai Biotechnology Co., Ltd. were visited to discuss the implementation of the group standard and understand their operational conditions [1][3]. - Discussions focused on the current development status of the companies, their actual needs, and the details of implementing the group standard effectively [3]. Group 3: Implementation Mechanisms - The initiative emphasizes a "pre-regulatory review" mechanism, where the local market supervision bureau collaborates with industry associations to verify the return execution capabilities of participating companies [5]. - This verification process aims to prevent unfulfilled commitments and ensure consumer rights are safeguarded, thereby enhancing the credibility of the "Seven-Day No Reason Return" policy [5].

Core Viewpoint - The "seven-day no-reason return" policy, originally designed to protect consumer rights, is being misused by some consumers, leading to increased costs for businesses and a negative impact on the overall e-commerce ecosystem [1][2][3] Group 1: Impact on E-commerce - The return rate for women's clothing in e-commerce is as high as 50% to 60%, with live-stream shopping return rates exceeding 80%, indicating significant misuse of the return policy [1] - Malicious returns are eroding the trust foundation of the e-commerce ecosystem, as some consumers exploit the policy to wear items temporarily without actual purchase [2] - The increase in return rates forces businesses to implement additional measures such as "unboxing monitoring" and "anti-tampering tags," which raise operational costs and ultimately lead to higher prices for consumers [2] Group 2: Need for Regulation and Compliance - The implementation of the national standard for "no-reason return" services aims to clarify the categories of returnable goods and the standards for product condition, emphasizing the need for proper enforcement [3] - E-commerce platforms are urged to enhance credit mechanisms and utilize big data to identify abnormal return behaviors, thereby closing loopholes in the return policy [3] - Businesses must improve product and service quality while defending their rights against rule abuse, ensuring they provide excellent after-sales service for legitimate returns [3] Group 3: Consumer Responsibility - Consumers are encouraged to adhere to principles of integrity and contractual spirit, recognizing that convenience comes with responsibility [4] - A healthy consumption environment relies on mutual constraints and positive interactions between consumers and businesses, ensuring that rights are respected and not exploited [4]

Core Points - The "seven-day no-reason return" policy, originally designed to protect consumer rights, is being misused by some buyers, leading to a need for reevaluation of its implementation [2][8] - High return rates in e-commerce, particularly in women's clothing (50%-60%) and live-stream shopping (over 80%), indicate significant abuse of the return policy [3][5] - The rise of "malicious returns" is damaging the integrity of the e-commerce ecosystem, with some consumers exploiting the policy for personal gain [7][11] Industry Impact - The misuse of the return policy is increasing operational costs for merchants, leading to higher product prices and reduced service quality, ultimately affecting the shopping experience for all consumers [9][11] - The integrity of the market is at risk as trust between buyers and sellers diminishes, potentially resulting in a "lose-lose" situation for both parties [11][12] Recommendations for Improvement - E-commerce platforms need to enhance their credit mechanisms and utilize big data to identify abnormal return behaviors, thereby closing loopholes in the return policy [15] - Merchants should focus on improving product and service quality while defending their rights against rule abuse, ensuring a balance between consumer protection and business sustainability [15] - Consumers are encouraged to adhere to principles of honesty and contract spirit, recognizing that convenience comes with responsibility [15]

Core Viewpoint - The "seven-day no-reason return" policy, originally designed to protect consumer rights, is being misused by some buyers, leading to negative consequences for both businesses and the overall e-commerce ecosystem [2][8][10]. Group 1: Consumer Behavior - The "seven-day no-reason return" policy serves as a safety net for consumers, allowing easy returns for unsatisfactory products, thus reducing shopping risks and enhancing consumer confidence [3][8]. - However, the return rates for women's clothing in e-commerce are alarmingly high, ranging from 50% to 60%, with live-stream shopping returns exceeding 80%, indicating widespread abuse of the policy [3][7]. Group 2: Impact on Businesses - Malicious returns are eroding the trust foundation of the e-commerce ecosystem, with some consumers exploiting the policy for personal gain, leading to increased operational costs for businesses [7][10]. - The rise of "return parties" and associated gray market activities, such as returning used items or falsely claiming quality issues, is damaging to retailers and can result in penalties from platforms [7][8]. Group 3: Regulatory and Industry Response - The implementation of the national standard for "no-reason return" services aims to clarify the conditions under which returns can be made, emphasizing that "no-reason" does not equate to "unconditional" [11][13]. - E-commerce platforms are urged to enhance their credit mechanisms and utilize big data to identify abnormal return behaviors, thereby protecting both consumers and businesses [13]. Group 4: Call for Ethical Consumerism - Consumers are encouraged to adhere to principles of integrity and contract spirit, avoiding the misuse of consumer protection rules for personal gain [13]. - A balanced approach involving mutual constraints and positive interactions between consumers and businesses is essential for fostering a healthier consumption environment [13].

Core Viewpoint - The introduction of "giant tags" by e-commerce merchants aims to combat the high return rates associated with online shopping, particularly in women's clothing, by making it less convenient for consumers to return items after wearing them [1][2]. Group 1: E-commerce Challenges - The return rate for online clothing sales is alarmingly high, with some platforms reporting rates as high as 90%, particularly in women's apparel [2]. - Many consumers exploit the "seven-day no-reason return" policy, leading to a significant number of returns that are not due to product quality but rather to misuse of the return policy [2][4]. Group 2: Merchant Strategies - Merchants are adopting "giant tags," which are larger and made from stiffer materials, to deter consumers from wearing items before returning them [1][2]. - The placement of these tags is strategically considered to maximize visibility and minimize the likelihood of removal or concealment by consumers [3]. Group 3: Consumer Reactions - Consumer feedback on "giant tags" is mixed; while some support the initiative to reduce returns, others criticize the negative impact on the shopping experience, particularly for legitimate customers [3][4]. Group 4: Expert Insights - Experts suggest that while "giant tags" may provide a temporary solution to high return rates, they do not address the underlying issues of trust between consumers and merchants [4][5]. - A more comprehensive approach is needed, including improved consumer credit systems and better service environments to reduce the incentive for malicious returns [5].

Core Viewpoint - The introduction of "giant tags" by e-commerce merchants aims to combat high return rates, particularly in women's clothing, by making it uncomfortable for consumers to wear items before returning them [1][2][7]. Group 1: E-commerce Challenges - The "seven-day no-reason return" policy, intended to protect consumer rights, has been exploited by some consumers, leading to high return rates of around 60% to 90% for certain platforms [2][4]. - Merchants report that many returned items show signs of wear, complicating the resale process and increasing operational costs [7][8]. Group 2: Merchant Strategies - Merchants like Xiao Ma have switched from small tags to A4-sized hard tags to deter consumers from trying on clothes and returning them [2][3]. - The placement of giant tags has been strategically adjusted to minimize the chances of being removed or overlooked by consumers [3][5]. Group 3: Consumer Reactions - Consumer feedback on giant tags is mixed, with some supporting the initiative to prevent receiving worn items, while others criticize the negative impact on the trial experience for genuine buyers [4][7]. Group 4: Expert Insights - Experts suggest that while giant tags may provide a temporary solution to high return rates, they do not address the underlying issues of trust and consumer behavior [8][9]. - A more comprehensive approach involving improved trust mechanisms between consumers and merchants, as well as enhanced service quality, is recommended to reduce return rates sustainably [8][9].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the rising phenomenon of consumers exploiting the "seven-day no-reason return" policy, particularly during the "Double Eleven" shopping festival, leading to retailers implementing measures like oversized tags and padlocks to prevent returns after wearing the items [1][4][8]. Group 1: Consumer Behavior - Some consumers are taking advantage of return policies by wearing clothing briefly and then returning them, a practice referred to as "sheep shearing" [1]. - There are reports of customers wearing new clothes with tags still attached for photo opportunities at tourist attractions [13]. Group 2: Retailer Responses - Retailers are adopting strategies such as oversized tags to deter returns, but this has proven costly and ineffective [1][8]. - A specific clothing retailer has started using padlocks on zippers to prevent customers from wearing items outside before returning them, claiming that this method is less expensive and more effective than oversized tags [4][8]. - The retailer noted that many returned items had a laundry detergent smell, indicating they had been worn [8]. Group 3: Public Reactions - Some consumers support the retailers' measures, understanding the need to prevent abuse of return policies [8]. - Conversely, others argue that high return rates may stem from issues like poor fit or quality, and that such measures could negatively impact the fitting experience [10].

Core Viewpoint - The upcoming "Double Eleven" shopping festival is causing significant concern for merchants due to high return rates, particularly in the apparel sector, where many returns are attributed to consumers exploiting the "seven-day no-reason return" policy [8][14]. Group 1: Merchant Strategies - Some merchants are resorting to extreme measures, such as attaching oversized tags to clothing, to deter consumers from returning items after wearing them [8][11]. - A Beijing clothing merchant has implemented a strategy of using a visible password lock on zippers to prevent customers from wearing items and then returning them without reason [9][11]. - The cost of a password lock is approximately 3 yuan, which is considered a worthwhile investment compared to the losses incurred from returns and the cost of oversized tags [14]. Group 2: Return Rate Statistics - The return rate for women's apparel in e-commerce is reported to be as high as 50% to 60%, with live-streamed sales seeing rates exceeding 80% [14]. - Many returns are not due to quality issues but rather consumers wearing items for events and then returning them, leading to significant losses for merchants [14][16]. Group 3: Financial Impact on Merchants - A leading online sales company with annual sales exceeding 100 million yuan experiences a net profit of only 2 to 3 million yuan, primarily due to costs associated with returns, which can reach nearly 10 million yuan annually [16]. - A small business owner reported a staggering 75% return rate, resulting in losses exceeding 800,000 yuan during the previous Double Eleven festival due to high return volumes and associated costs [16]. Group 4: Industry Concerns and Recommendations - The overall situation highlights the need for a balance between consumer rights and merchant protection, with suggestions for improving return processes to reduce the burden on merchants [16][17]. - The introduction of measures like oversized tags could help align the interests of both consumers and merchants, potentially leading to a more sustainable retail environment [17].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the challenges and controversies surrounding ticket refunds for performances, highlighting the disparity between consumer expectations for refunds and the ticketing platforms' policies that often deny refunds due to the unique nature of event tickets [1][2]. Group 1: Consumer Complaints and Trends - A significant increase in complaints related to ticket refunds has been reported, with over 90% of concert-related complaints in the first half of 2025 focusing on refund requests [1][2]. - The issue of difficulty in obtaining refunds for event tickets has been a prominent topic in consumer rights discussions, particularly in 2023 [1][2]. Group 2: Legal and Regulatory Context - The legal framework allows for a "seven-day no-reason return" policy for online purchases, but event tickets are classified as "time-sensitive" and "scarce," which justifies their exclusion from this policy [2][3]. - Current laws do not provide clear guidelines on the refundability of tickets, leading to ongoing disputes and confusion among consumers and legal experts [3][6]. Group 3: Consumer Rights and Industry Practices - Many consumers face strict refund policies, with platforms often refusing refunds even in cases of personal emergencies, citing the nature of tickets as non-refundable items [3][5]. - The ticketing industry has established a norm of "no refunds," which has been criticized as an unfair practice that limits consumer rights [7][10]. Group 4: Proposed Solutions and Regulatory Improvements - Experts suggest that a more structured refund mechanism should be implemented, similar to those in the airline and railway industries, to provide clearer guidelines for consumers [7][10]. - Recommendations include establishing a tiered refund system based on the time remaining until the event, allowing for partial refunds under certain conditions [9][10].