Luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co. has officially responded to a growing customer service controversy in China after an incident involving a missing Mid-Autumn Festival gift box sparked widespread online discussion.

In a statement provided to National Business Daily (NBD) on the evening of September 29, Tiffany & Co. China expressed sincere apologies for the distress and negative experience caused to the customer.

"We attach great importance to the recent incident at our Chengdu store and the public's concern regarding our brand services," the company stated. "The brand always prioritizes customer rights and service quality. Moving forward, our retail management team has completed a thorough internal investigation and formulated clear handling decisions and rectification plans. We will strictly deal with the responsible personnel in accordance with company regulations and comprehensively upgrade our service and privacy management workflows."

The dispute first surfaced on September 27, when a consumer posted on social media detailing her experience with Tiffany & Co. According to the customer, she purchased a full-pave diamond bracelet and ring set valued at over 200,000 yuan ($28,000+) at a Tiffany boutique after returning to China in 2025.

On September 8, 2026, a sales associate at the store proactively informed her that she would receive a complimentary Tiffany Mid-Autumn mooncake gift box. Since the customer was abroad at the time, she requested that the gift box be shipped to her family address in China. However, by the Mid-Autumn Festival, her family had still not received the delivery.

Upon inquiring with the sales associate, the customer discovered that the gift box had been mistakenly shipped to another client. The associate subsequently replied, "We will send you a gift next time the company has one available." Dismayed by the response, the customer shared her experience on social media, quickly drawing intense public scrutiny.

The customer confirmed to NBD that the timeline and evidence posted on her social account represented "the complete truth, without any deletion or modification."

Screenshots of WeChat conversations shared by the customer reveal that after the post gained viral traction, the sales associate repeatedly requested phone calls. During this period, the customer's initial post was temporarily taken down following a complaint.

As follow-up posts further escalated public discussion, the manager of the store in question contacted the customer, offering local peach crisp pastries and fresh flowers as an apology. On the evening of September 28, the customer updated her social media followers, confirming she had received an official apology email from the head of Tiffany China's retail team.

By noon on September 29, the customer received a formal investigation report from Tiffany’s retail management team. The statement explicitly acknowledged that the employee had copied the shipping address incorrectly and handled communications inappropriately. Tiffany outlined remedial actions, including disciplinary measures for the staff involved, structural process overhauls, and an offer for an in-person apology.