Introduction:When the hit TV series My Altay teamed up with Shanghai’s Auntie for a “Freedom Matcha” collaboration, customers who hoped to relive the grassland charm of the show through merchandise were met with stock shortages at stores, wrong delivery cards, and even having their student cards taken back upon pickup on the first day of the event. This article thoroughly documents the various unexpected issues that arose during this tea beverage brand collaboration, analyzes the real challenges in store execution and supply chains, and compiles common customer questions along with recommended responses.
The TV series My Altay deeply moved audiences with its sincere portrayal of the natural beauty and herding life in Xinjiang’s Altay region. This wave of “Altay fever” also spilled over into the new-style tea beverage market. Shanghai’s Auntie launched a collaboration centered around its “Freedom Matcha” series, introducing a variety of merchandise including long scroll painting cup sleeves, special delivery paper bags, collaborative lenticular card sets, and student film cards. The campaign successfully attracted a large number of fans to rush to purchase. However, on the first day of the event, multiple consumer disputes emerged, including some stores offering only 10 units of merchandise, wrong cards being delivered with orders, and student cards being taken back by staff upon in-store pickup—sparking strong dissatisfaction among consumers and keeping the brand’s customer service busy apologizing and trying to make amends.
The TV series My Altay is adapted from writer Li Juan’s essay collection of the same name. Set against a rich backdrop of ethnic culture and the daily lives of herders, it depicts through the vast landscapes of northwest China and expansive grasslands a deep longing for home, a desire for freedom, and the perseverance to chase dreams. It has been hailed by netizens as “the most healing visually soothing TV production,” quickly sparking widespread discussion after its premiere.
As competition in the tea beverage market intensifies, brands are competing fiercely not just on ingredients and pricing but also on promotional giveaways. Seizing the wave of “IP collaborations,” Shanghai’s Auntie leveraged the fresh green tones of its “Freedom Matcha” series, emphasizing how its color resembles the lush green grasslands of Altay—allowing consumers to feel a sense of freedom akin to being in the wilderness while enjoying their matcha, echoing the show’s core message: “No matter how bumpy life gets, live it shining bright.”
According to the official event rules, customers who purchased the “Wild Cup Single-Item Merchandise Bundle” could receive merchandise such as long scroll painting cup sleeves featuring Altay scenery, double-cup delivery paper bags, and collaborative lenticular card sets. Additionally, those who presented a valid student ID on September 7 and purchased any matcha drink could exchange for a limited-edition Altay film student card. This attracted many consumers with a special affinity for Xinjiang’s scenery, all eager to revisit scenes from the drama while enjoying their matcha.
To get their hands on the film student card, many netizens who had already graduated got creative, making their own student IDs and sharing them on social media. This “full-of-heart” move not only sparked widespread discussion but also brought considerable online exposure for Shanghai’s Auntie.
However, as the collaboration officially launched in stores nationwide, early consumers quickly snapped up the limited items—but a host of execution issues immediately surfaced. Some customers reported that shortly after ordering at 10 a.m., they found the merchandise bundles had already sold out. Even after visiting several stores, they could only piece together their purchases from a more distant outlet, only to be informed by the delivery rider half an hour later that the bundled merchandise was out of stock. The customer questioned why the store would offer a limited bundle if it hadn’t prepared enough merchandise in the first place? According to store responses, some outlets were only allocated 10 units of merchandise, drawing complaints from many customers.
Even customers who managed to secure the merchandise criticized the quality of the delivery service. One netizen shared that upon opening their delivery package, they found that the expected lenticular card set had been mistakenly replaced with a “student film card.” With limited stock at the stores, such delivery errors left consumers exclaiming, “That’s just outrageous.”
As for customers who chose to pick up their orders in person, they weren’t spared from issues either. One customer had noted in the order comments whether they could receive a student card, and although the staff confirmed that both the drink and the merchandise would be packed together, the student card was taken back on the spot when picking up the order, with the staff citing rules that it could only be claimed on the 7th. The customer expressed that after waiting so long, being told at pickup that the item couldn’t be provided instantly dashed their high expectations, greatly affecting their overall experience.
Faced with numerous consumer complaints, the official account labeled “Shanghai’s Auntie Customer Service” on social platforms responded frequently, expressing deep regret for the poor experience caused to customers and promising to promptly contact relevant stores to verify the situation and actively handle each dispute. While the collaboration successfully generated buzz, it also highlighted the real challenges new tea beverage brands face in supply chain management and store execution when engaging in popular IP partnerships.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
