New Delhi, Dec 5 (IANS): French luxury brand Louis Vuitton is found to have also applied a "double standard" refund policy, China Central Television (CCTV) reported, which will deepen Chinese consumers' anger toward international brands' discriminatory return policies, Global Times said.
The report came after Canadian luxury parka maker Canada Goose ignited a backlash among Chinese consumers for its discriminatory return policy in the Chinese market.
In addition to Canada Goose, a number of other international brands also have adopted different after-sale policies between China and other markets, according to the CCTV report, which cited Louis Vuitton as an example, the report said.
The report said that in the US and Canada, merchandise can be returned for full refund within 30 days from the date of purchase. However, a customer service employee of the brand in the Chinese mainland told the Global Times on Saturday that merchandise purchased at their Chinese stores is non-refundable, and only those purchased online are refundable within seven days of receipt. Both can be returned for exchange within 30 days of purchase.
Moreover, on Louis Vuitton's official websites in the US and Canada, its returns and exchanges policy reads that returns will be accepted for exchange in any freestanding Louis Vuitton store around the world, excluding Brazil, China, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, India, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Russia etc.
The brand's different return and exchange policies have also triggered fresh anger among Chinese consumers on Chinese Twitter-like social media Sina Weibo on Saturday, Global Times said.
"You contribute greatly to its market revenue, while it takes discriminatory policy against you. What's the problem with you?" a Chinese netizen named Xiaomei2005 said on Weibo, hinting Chinese consumers shouldn't buy from the brand.
There are also netizens calling for the revision of market regulations in China to better protect the rights and interests of Chinese consumers, the report added.