On April 8th, the launch of Xiaomi's new car, the SU7, has drawn significant attention from both the market and public opinion.
However, less than 24 hours after its release, complaints and incidents of consumer rights protection involving hundreds of consumers emerged, sparking widespread discussions.
According to Xiaomi Car's official Weibo post titled "Xiaomi SU7 Answers Questions from Netizens," it was stated that during the car purchasing process on the Xiaomi Car app, there were a total of three prompts regarding the non-refundable nature of actively locking the order, with a direct pop-up reminder during the final "lock configuration" step. Xiaomi Car hopes consumers can understand the need for careful consideration before locking the configuration.
Xiaomi stated that consumers can request a refund within 7 days of placing the order. However, Xiaomi also provided the option to actively lock the configuration, and once locked, it indicates that the order is completed, and the vehicle will enter the production stage, at which point the deposit becomes non-refundable.
Additionally, Xiaomi emphasized that, following industry practices, there is typically a 1 to 3-day cooling-off period after placing the order during which consumers can choose to cancel or modify the configuration. Once the configuration is confirmed and the order is locked, the vehicle will enter the production stage.
Some consumers claimed that they mistakenly activated the option to actively lock the order. In their online complaints, these consumers described themselves as "accidentally" locking the order early and not receiving a second prompt, resulting in the inability to refund the deposit.
In response, Fu Jian, director of the Henan Zejin Law Firm, believes that Xiaomi Car's deposit refund policy did not violate consumers' legal rights. Xiaomi has fulfilled its obligation to remind and inform, and consumers, after confirmation and consideration, proceeded to lock the order, which complies with the obligations of operators stipulated in the Consumer Rights Protection Law.
Some experts also point out that whether it's a rights protection incident triggered by a mistaken touch or other reasons, consumers are reminded to maintain rationality and treat the "confirm" button seriously when shopping online. Every click could represent a commitment, and every confirmation could signify the beginning of responsibility.
