Douyin shoppers whose purchase still does not work after two repairs would be entitled to a replacement of the same model, under draft rules the platform’s e-commerce arm, Douyin E-commerce (抖音电商), put out for comment on 28 October. Sellers who ignore repair requests could owe the buyer up to 30 percent of the amount paid. Feedback closes on 4 November.
The draft revises Douyin’s general rules on after-sales disputes (售后争议处理总则), which set out how the platform steps in when buyers and sellers fall out. Its notice names four core changes.
The partial-refund ratio for minor flaws on large items goes up. Where a seller at fault refuses or is unable to repair within the warranty period, the platform can agree a repair-cost arrangement with the buyer, weighing the fault, the repair cost and category standards. The other two changes cover sellers who drag their feet over repairs and a formula for discounted refunds.
Going quiet would count as refusing a repair
A new Article 43 lists four situations in which a seller is treated as refusing to repair or replace an item:
- the buyer cannot reach the seller;
- the seller rejects or ignores a repair or replacement request and cannot show a reasonable ground for doing so;
- the buyer has sent the item back for repair and the seller has failed at least twice to give a proper update on progress;
- anything else that would reasonably lead the buyer to conclude the seller is unwilling to repair or replace.
In those cases the buyer may ask for compensation of no more than 30 percent of the amount actually paid. A buyer who says that will not cover a repair they arranged themselves has to prove the real repair cost before claiming more.
After two repairs, a replacement or a refund
Article 41, also new, deals with items that break down during the repair period because of a quality problem. If two repairs leave the product unusable, or it cannot be repaired at all, the seller must swap it for one of the same model and specification. A seller that refuses or has nothing to swap must accept a full return and refund.
Buyers can still turn down a swap that is available. They then get their money back minus depreciation, at the rate set by law where one exists. Otherwise the draft uses 0.15 percent a day as a reference, and the refund cannot fall below 15 percent of the order amount.
Swaps given in place of a repair are counted too. Under Article 42, if the replacement develops a quality fault within the original sanbao (三包, repair, replacement and return guarantee) period, that swap counts as one repair towards the two-repair threshold.
| Article | What the draft says | Marked in draft |
|---|---|---|
| 14(3) | Where the seller arranges a doorstep pickup, it checks the item and refunds at pickup; damage or loss in transit does not affect the refund | New |
| 40 | Return, exchange and repair duties follow national law, local regulations and platform rules; where they conflict, the standard most favourable to the consumer applies, including for warranties sellers offer themselves | Partly new |
| 41 | Two failed repairs: same-model replacement; full refund if the seller refuses or cannot replace; depreciated refund (0.15% a day where no legal rate, at least 15% of the order) if the buyer declines a swap | New |
| 43 | Four situations treated as refusal to repair; compensation of up to 30% of the amount paid | New |
| 68 | Compensation is deducted from the seller’s funds and paid as cash or coupons; Article 10 compensation is in principle up to 30% of the amount paid, at most RMB 200 | Partly deleted |
| 73 | Card and voucher goods (卡券类) added to the list of category-specific dispute rules | Added |
When rules clash, the buyer’s best case applies
The revised Article 40 says sellers’ return, exchange and repair duties must follow national law, local regulations and Douyin’s own rules. Where these conflict, the standard most favourable to the consumer wins, and the same applies to any warranty period a seller promises on its own.
Doorstep returns get a clause of their own. A seller that sends a courier to collect a return must inspect the item and refund at the point of pickup. Damage or loss on the way back does not hold up the refund; the seller claims from the carrier, and must produce evidence if it says the item failed the refund conditions at pickup.
Some limits stay as they are. Article 16 still caps a partial refund for flaws that do not defeat the purpose of the purchase at 30 percent of the amount paid. Under Article 10, Douyin can step into orders on its own, for instance when a product’s positive-review rate drops below 70 percent; that trigger lifts after seven straight days back above 70 percent.
Coming up · We may follow up when Douyin publishes the final text and the date it takes effect.
