Customer Demanded ¥3000 for Broken Coffee Shop Saucer?! Should Shops Post Warnings for Valuable Items?

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Customer Accidentally Breaks Hermes Cup Saucer, Asked to Pay 3000 Yuan

Yesterday, a netizen posted about accidentally breaking the saucer of a coffee cup while dining at a coffee shop. The cup itself was undamaged, but the shop demanded compensation of 3000 yuan, which was later revealed to be for a Hermes brand item.

After the incident occurred, when the netizen requested the shop to provide proof of the Hermes item's authenticity, the staff stated that the manager was on a flight and unable to provide valid proof.

The staff also mentioned that this set of cups was purchased in 2019, and a new set on the official website would cost 3200 yuan today. However, the shop ultimately failed to provide either authenticity proof or purchase receipts.

After a round of negotiations, the staff admitted they had failed to fulfill their duty to inform customers about the value of the items. Consequently, the netizen paid 1500 yuan in compensation, while the staff covered the remaining 1500 yuan. However, feeling uneasy about this outcome, the poster asked other netizens whether they should report to the police and pursue legal proceedings.

Public Response to the Compensation Dispute

After reading the help-seeking post, netizens found the compensation amount extremely unfair, and also considered it unjust that the staff had to bear half of the responsibility.

The discussion in the comments section revolved around several key issues: "need to report to police," "compensation should account for depreciation," "provide proof of value," and "shop should warn about high-value items."

Netizens who suggested reporting to the police argued that both parties share responsibility in such situations. While the consumer's mistake was unintentional, the shop also has an obligation to inform customers about the value of their items. Reporting to the police would allow authorities to request proof of value from the shop and clarify each party's responsibilities before determining compensation.

Regarding the compensation amount, netizens believed the key factor is having a clear item price, which should then be reasonably depreciated based on usage time and wear condition. If neither the compensating party nor the merchant can calculate this reasonably, reporting to the police for third-party fair mediation becomes even more necessary.

Netizens who emphasized the shop's duty to warn customers argued that for such valuable tableware, failing to provide adequate warning means the shop should bear most responsibility, as customers wouldn't expect that coffee costing dozens of yuan would be served in cups worth thousands.

Others argued that as consumables, tableware comes with inherent risks of wear and tear, and it's unreasonable to pass all losses onto consumers when problems occur.

Questions About Authenticity

Some netizens also questioned the authenticity of the cup set, stating that if these were genuine Hermes products, being entirely handcrafted, both cups and plates would have small, clear patterns beneath the logo representing different artisans. However, such markings were not visible in the photos provided by the netizen.

Regarding this incident, the shop's management did not come forward to respond. When media outlets called for interviews that day, the staff continued to handle all responses.

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