A Chinese second-hand trading platform has sparked public outrage after it allegedly asked a mother to submit a video of her slapping her child in order to get a refund. South China Morning Post (SCMP). Li Yun’s mother requested a refund after discovering that her 11-year-old daughter had secretly spent over 500 yuan (about ₹6,170.67) on trading cards through the Qiandao app, a popular platform for used toys and collectibles.
According to reports, the platform’s rules state that products are not eligible for unconditional returns within seven days. Li tried to cancel the order just two hours after placing it. But the seller accused her of “feigning underage to arbitrarily cancel orders.”
The retailer then issued a “Minor Refund Notice” and demanded an uninterrupted five-minute video of Li slapping her daughter, with “slapping sounds clearly audible”. The notice also required a 1,000-character handwritten letter of apology from the child, signed and fingerprinted, to be read aloud by both parent and child.
Li contacted the platform’s customer service, but was told, “We’re sorry, the platform can’t force action. We recommend both sides negotiate and communicate directly.”
Qiandao says the announcement is not official policy
On October 20, Qiandao issued a statement that the incident arose from personal second-hand sales. The company clarified that the “Minor Refund Notice” was not an official policy, adding, “We will also guide users who post inappropriate content on appropriate behavior, encourage civil communication, and help create a friendly business environment.”
The incident sparked heated debate online, with many criticizing the platform’s approach as excessive and harmful. One user wrote: “My first reaction is shock and disbelief. This is no way to resolve disputes. It’s treating people like objects to be humiliated at will.”
Another commented: “Is there no bottom line anymore? This requirement is blatantly absurd. So now after sales service isn’t about reasoning, it’s about beating your own child? Maybe the seller should slap themselves before they act.”
