Follow-up to the incident that the women's coffee shop took photos without ordering and was charged: the merchant refunded the photo of the woman.

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Entering the store without ordering, but being charged 50 yuan to check out? Recently, the incident that a woman only took pictures in a coffee shop without ordering an order was charged 50 yuan for a photo in Liuzhou, Guangxi. It went viral on Weibo, causing a heated discussion.

At about 15:00 on the 18th, the director of the Qianjin Institute of Industry and Commerce of Yufeng District Branch of Liuzhou Municipal Administration for Industry and Commerce told thepaper.cn that at about 15:00 on the 18th, the office received on-the-spot complaints from consumers and that after going to mediation, the merchants had returned 50 yuan in cash. Ms. Wei has also deleted the photos taken in her store.

According to a previous report by the Southern Morning Post, on February 14, Ms. Wei, a citizen of Liuzhou, saw a well-decorated coffee shop in her moments and went to visit it with her husband. There is a sign at the door of the coffee shop that says, "our price is 68 yuan per person." When she came to the store, the front desk staff gave Ms. Wei a sign and prompted her to scan the code to order. Ms. Wei said she took a look at it first, and then she and her husband walked around the store and took pictures.

There is a notice board in front of the coffee shop involved. There is a sign at the door of the coffee shop involved in the picture of the Southern Morning Post. Picture of South China Morning Post

The Southern Morning Post said that when Ms. Wei was ready to leave that day, she was told by the shop assistant that she would charge 50 yuan if she did not order, and the two sides argued that Ms. Wei's husband finally passed WeChat Pay for 50 yuan. After the event, Ms. Wei believed that the coffee shop's behavior violated consumers' independent choice and fair trading rights, set a minimum consumption, and was also suspected of compulsory consumption, so she called the 12315 hotline and went forward to complain to the industry and commerce.

The operator of Liuzhou Municipal people's Government hotline 12345 confirmed to thepaper.cn on Feb. 18 that she had indeed received a complaint from Ms. Wei, a consumer, and the matter had been handed over to the 12315 hotline for handling.

The merchant of the coffee shop involved told thepaper.cn that since its opening, the shop has put up a sign saying "the store will be reduced to 68 yuan per person", and Ms. Wei was reminded when she entered the store on the evening of February 14. After the transfer and monitoring, it was found that after entering the store, Ms. Wei went up to the second floor to pose for pictures, and the whole process took about ten minutes. Since then, Ms. Wei told the clerk that she was not spending in the store and was ready to leave. The clerk charged the two people a total of 50 yuan for taking photos to enjoy the store environment but not ordering food.

Ms. Wei took a selfie in the store. In-store surveillance video screenshot merchants provide Ms. Wei to take a selfie in the store. Screenshots of in-store surveillance video provided by merchants

In response to the question of "whether setting a minimum consumption infringes upon the rights and interests of consumers", the merchant explained that defining the minimum consumption is, on the one hand, to set a threshold to enter the store, so that consumers can have a better consumption environment. On the other hand, the store's decoration, which costs about 500000 yuan, attracts many customers who come to take pictures, and the minimum consumption is also set to make a profit.

In addition, the merchant said that if the relevant departments impose penalties for setting a minimum consumption in the future, they will accept it and will find other ways to control the flow of people in the store and maintain profits.

(original title: "Coffee shop photo order is charged 50 yuan" follow-up: merchants refund, consumers delete photos)

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