Introduction:Luckin Coffee’s Tmall flagship store launched an ultra-value 5-use card priced at just 13.77 RMB, allowing customers to choose 5 classic drinks. This attracted intense excitement and rapid purchasing. However, some consumers later discovered that their orders were forcibly refunded by the system without prior notice. The brand explained it was due to a system error and offered a 32 RMB drink voucher as compensation. But many consumers viewed this as a breach of contract, with some even filing lawsuits. This article details the full story and provides practical advice for consumer rights protection.

Luckin Coffee’s Tmall flagship store previously released a “15 Must-Try Classics – Pick 1, 5-Use Card” available for only 13.77 RMB, letting customers select any 5 out of 15 popular drinks — equivalent to less than 3 RMB per drink, which was highly attractive. As soon as the promotion went live, it triggered a rush of purchases, with a huge influx of orders within a short period.

However, in the early hours of June 29, many consumers who had successfully paid discovered that their orders were automatically canceled by the system without any refund action on their part. The reason shown was “no longer wanted.” Puzzlingly, these cancellations were not initiated by the customers but were forcibly executed by the platform.

Notably, not all buyers experienced the same issue. Some customers reported that their order status briefly showed “seller has shipped,” yet they never received the corresponding e-voucher in the Luckin app. This inconsistency further fueled consumer dissatisfaction and doubts.

In response to numerous customer inquiries and complaints, Luckin officials subsequently issued a statement explaining that the incident was caused by “system issues such as product configuration errors and abnormal order volumes,” which triggered the automatic refund mechanism. The brand promised that affected users could register their information through platform customer service, and after verification, would receive a 32 RMB Luckin Coffee exchange voucher as compensation.

Nevertheless, many consumers were dissatisfied with this compensation solution. What was originally a low-cost 5-use card ultimately resulted in just a 32 RMB voucher, a significant letdown that led many to feel the brand had not handled the issue properly. Some consumers even lodged complaints with the 12315 consumer complaint platform seeking further resolution.

Furthermore, according to a report by 《Jingshi Live》, some consumers pointed out that Luckin and the platform unilaterally canceling orders without consumer consent may constitute a breach of contract under China’s 《Civil Code》 and 《Consumer Rights Protection Law》, and could even be considered fraudulent behavior. Under relevant laws, if fraud is confirmed, consumers have the right to demand triple compensation, with a minimum payout of 500 RMB.

Based on these legal grounds, some consumers have filed lawsuits with the Hangzhou Internet Court, taking both Luckin and related third-party platforms to court. They are demanding a reasonable explanation for the forced refunds and seeking lawful financial compensation. This case has also sparked widespread discussion about the performance risks associated with the sale of electronic vouchers.

This incident highlights the potential risks when e-commerce platforms sell electronic vouchers, especially regarding how consumer rights to information and choice are protected during automated order and refund processing. For consumers, when facing similar situations, it is important to retain transaction records and communication screenshots promptly, understand one’s legal rights, and seek legal avenues when necessary to safeguard one’s interests.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.