"Wear-and-Return": Students' Online Shopping Sparks Outcry

Foreign Tips

2025-11-17

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According to a report by Shandong Television's "Life Help", Mr. Wang, an online clothing store owner in Cao County, Heze, recently disclosed that dozens of students from a school in Changde, Hunan, purchased 40 performance costumes from his store, only to return them for refunds after use. As the items could not be resold, Wang suffered financial losses.

▲Screenshot of the related Weibo post

"Some returned items were clearly worn and are too dirty to be sold again," Wang stated. He mentioned having initial reservations when accepting the bulk order, which unfortunately proved justified.

Wang expressed his frustration, noting that the clothes were returned well beyond the 7-day return window and showed obvious signs of use.

▲Some returned clothes were too dirty for resale

When contacted, the e-commerce platform's customer service advised that if items are returned after 7 days with evident wear, the seller can file an appeal. The platform has opened an appeal channel to protect sellers' rights and will review the case. If the refund is found unjustified, the platform may reverse the decision or reimburse the seller.

▲The school stated it has intervened

The school's vice principal, Mr. Kang, confirmed the incident, clarifying that the returns were initiated by students individually, without any instruction from teachers. He acknowledged the school's educational responsibility in the matter.

Kang added that the school has provided a deposit to the seller. Once refunds are processed for the students, adjustments will be made accordingly.

Wang confirmed that some students have begun reimbursing him, and the returned clothes will be sent back to the school.

This incident echoes a similar case in May, when the topic "Students collectively return over 60 dresses" trended online.

▲Screenshot of the related trending topic

One store owner reported that over 60 students from a vocational school in Shenyang collectively bought dresses for a sports day, then returned them citing "quality issues." The owner claimed the product listing was suspended for three months, causing an estimated loss of 8,000 RMB.

She noted that photos from the school's website showed students wearing the clothes with tags still attached, and returned items had grass stains from the school field.

The school later apologized, agreed to keep the clothes, and covered the costs, reaching a settlement with the seller.

High return rates, particularly in categories like clothing, have long troubled online sellers. Reports indicate that a significant portion of returns are not due to quality issues but rather result from "wear-and-return" practices, where buyers exploit the "7-day no-reason return" policy.

To combat "return abuse," some sellers have adopted creative measures like using oversized tags.

▲Oversized tags used by sellers to deter wear-and-returns (Source: Xiaohongshu)

According to Cover News, a Beijing-based clothing seller shared on social media that they have resorted to attaching combination locks to zippers to prevent returns after wear.

The store, which sells down jackets and other apparel, shared images showing a black jacket with a lock through the zipper pull. The seller explained that the lock is intended to deter customers from wearing the item outdoors before deciding to keep it. Customers who confirm their purchase can contact the store for the lock code and keep the lock as a gift.