Hangzhou Neighborhoods Blocked from Buying Luxury Goods Online

Luxury brands Saint Laurent and Miu Miu have come under scrutiny for imposing regional sales restrictions on certain neighborhoods in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.

According to The Paper, Saint Laurent's official Taobao store blocked orders from 20 addresses in Xiaoshan District's Yingfeng neighborhood, citing repeated "malicious returns" from some residents. Attempts to purchase high-priced items – including a 15,500-yuan (US$2,280) handbag – were automatically rejected, while changing the delivery address to other districts allowed orders to proceed. Multiple account tests confirmed the restrictions were deliberate and targeted.

Following media reports on May 10, Saint Laurent restored ordering for Yingfeng neighborhood. Store representatives denied intentionally setting purchase limits and have not publicly clarified whether technical adjustments were made.

Prada-owned Italian brand Miu Miu was also found to restrict sales in at least three Hangzhou neighborhoods: Yingfeng, Xixing, and Sijiqing. Reporter tests revealed that attempts to purchase items, including a 12,400-yuan handbag and 4,150-yuan sunglasses, from these addresses triggered messages stating the products could not be purchased in the region, while other districts allowed orders.

These areas overlap with neighborhoods heavily engaged in live-streaming e-commerce, including major MCN agencies and influencer hubs.

Legal experts told The Paper that denying purchases based on geographic location may violate China's Consumer Rights Protection Law by infringing on consumers' right to fair trade. Both Saint Laurent and MIU MIU have yet to issue a formal public response.