shouhoufuwu: 售后服务 - After-sales Service, Customer Support

• Keywords: 售后服务, shouhou fuwu, after-sales service in Chinese, customer support China, post-purchase service, Chinese product return, warranty in Chinese, Taobao customer service, JD.com support.
• Summary: 售后服务 (shòuhòu fúwù) is the Chinese term for “after-sales service.” It encompasses all customer support activities that occur after a purchase, including returns, repairs, warranties, and technical help. In modern China, especially in the competitive e-commerce landscape of platforms like Taobao and JD.com, excellent 售后服务 is not just a bonus but a critical factor for a brand's reputation and success. Understanding this term is essential for anyone shopping or doing business in China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shòuhòu fúwù
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: The services provided to a customer after they have purchased a product or service.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 售后服务 (shòuhòu fúwù) as the entire ecosystem of support you get *after* you've paid for something. It's not just a warranty card in a box. In China, it's a highly integrated and crucial part of the shopping experience, covering everything from “I don't like this color” returns and technical setup questions to major repairs. Good `售后服务` means a company is reliable and trustworthy, while bad `售后服务` is one of the quickest ways for a business to lose customers.

• 售 (shòu): To sell. This character relates to transactions and commerce.
• 后 (hòu): After, behind, or later. It signifies the timing of the action.
• 服 (fú): To serve, or service. It implies an action done for the benefit of another.
• 务 (wù): Business, affair, or task. It adds a sense of professional duty or an official process.

Combining them, `售后 (shòuhòu)` literally means “after selling,” and `服务 (fúwù)` means “service.” Together, 售后服务 (shòuhòu fúwù) is a direct and logical construction meaning “service that comes after the sale.”

In the West, “customer service” can often evoke images of long hold times on a 1-800 number. While that exists in China, 售后服务 (shòuhòu fúwù) has evolved into a much more dynamic and integrated concept, largely driven by the hyper-competitive e-commerce market. The key difference lies in its immediacy and integration. On platforms like Taobao, Tmall, or JD.com, `售后服务` is built directly into the app. A customer can initiate a return, chat with a representative (`客服, kèfú`), upload photos of a defect, and get a shipping label for a return often without ever leaving the app or making a phone call. This system has empowered consumers and made `售后服务` a primary battleground for businesses. A seller's public rating is heavily influenced by the quality of their `售后服务`. A willingness to quickly accept returns (especially under the common “7-day no-reason return” policy) and solve problems is seen as a sign of a reputable and confident seller. In this sense, `售后服务` isn't just a cost center; it's a powerful marketing tool and a cornerstone of consumer trust in the digital age.

You will encounter this term constantly when shopping in China, both online and offline.

• E-commerce: This is the most common context. When you have a problem with an item bought from Taobao, JD.com, or Pinduoduo, you will look for the `售后服务` option in your order details. This is your portal to request a refund (`退款, tuìkuǎn`), return (`退货, tuìhuò`), or exchange (`换货, huànhuò`).
• Electronics and Appliances: When buying a phone, laptop, or washing machine, a key question for the salesperson is, “你们的售后服务怎么样？” (How is your after-sales service?). This refers to the warranty (`保修, bǎoxiū`), availability of repair centers, and customer support.
• Reviews and Complaints: Customers frequently use the quality of `售后服务` in their reviews. You'll often see comments like, “这家店的售后服务太棒了！” (This shop's after-sales service is amazing!) or its opposite, “售后服务太差，再也不来了。” (The after-sales service is terrible, I'm never coming back).

• Example 1:
  • 这家公司以其卓越的售后服务而闻名。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī yǐ qí zhuóyuè de shòuhòu fúwù ér wénmíng.
  • English: This company is famous for its excellent after-sales service.
  • Analysis: This is a common way for a company to be described or to advertise itself. `卓越的 (zhuóyuè de)` means “excellent” or “outstanding.”
• Example 2:
  • 如果产品有任何问题，您可以随时联系我们的售后服务团队。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ chǎnpǐn yǒu rènhé wèntí, nín kěyǐ suíshí liánxì wǒmen de shòuhòu fúwù tuánduì.
  • English: If there are any issues with the product, you can contact our after-sales service team at any time.
  • Analysis: A formal and polite sentence you might see on a website or in product documentation. `团队 (tuánduì)` means team.
• Example 3:
  • 我对他们的售后服务非常不满意，退货流程太复杂了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ duì tāmen de shòuhòu fúwù fēicháng bù mǎnyì, tuìhuò liúchéng tài fùzá le.
  • English: I'm very dissatisfied with their after-sales service; the return process is too complicated.
  • Analysis: A typical customer complaint. `不满意 (bù mǎnyì)` means “dissatisfied” and `流程 (liúchéng)` means “process.”
• Example 4:
  • 买大件家电，一定要选售后服务好的品牌。
  • Pinyin: Mǎi dàjiàn jiādiàn, yídìng yào xuǎn shòuhòu fúwù hǎo de pǐnpái.
  • English: When buying large home appliances, you must choose a brand with good after-sales service.
  • Analysis: Practical advice for shoppers. `大件家电 (dàjiàn jiādiàn)` refers to large appliances like refrigerators or washing machines.
• Example 5:
  • 这个手机的保修包括哪些售后服务？
  • Pinyin: Zhège shǒujī de bǎoxiū bāokuò nǎxiē shòuhòu fúwù?
  • English: What after-sales services are included in this phone's warranty?
  • Analysis: A specific question a customer would ask before making a purchase. `保修 (bǎoxiū)` is “warranty,” and `包括 (bāokuò)` is “to include.”
• Example 6:
  • 淘宝卖家的售后服务态度直接影响店铺的评分。
  • Pinyin: Táobǎo màijiā de shòuhòu fúwù tàidù zhíjiē yǐngxiǎng diànpù de píngfēn.
  • English: The attitude of a Taobao seller's after-sales service directly affects the shop's rating.
  • Analysis: This highlights the importance of `售后服务` in the C2C e-commerce ecosystem. `态度 (tàidù)` means “attitude” and `评分 (píngfēn)` is “rating.”
• Example 7:
  • 我们的售后服务政策是“七天无理由退货”。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de shòuhòu fúwù zhèngcè shì “qī tiān wú lǐyóu tuìhuò”.
  • English: Our after-sales service policy is “7-day no-reason returns.”
  • Analysis: This references a specific, very common policy in Chinese e-commerce. `政策 (zhèngcè)` means “policy.”
• Example 8:
  • 他们的售后服务电话总是打不通。
  • Pinyin: Tāmen de shòuhòu fúwù diànhuà zǒngshì dǎ bù tōng.
  • English: Their after-sales service phone line is always busy.
  • Analysis: A classic complaint. `打不通 (dǎ bù tōng)` is a set phrase meaning “cannot get through (on the phone).”
• Example 9:
  • 良好的售后服务可以增加客户的忠诚度。
  • Pinyin: Liánghǎo de shòuhòu fúwù kěyǐ zēngjiā kèhù de zhōngchéngdù.
  • English: Good after-sales service can increase customer loyalty.
  • Analysis: A business-oriented sentence discussing the benefits of good service. `忠诚度 (zhōngchéngdù)` means “loyalty.”
• Example 10:
  • 别担心，这个产品的售后服务网点遍布全国。
  • Pinyin: Bié dānxīn, zhège chǎnpǐn de shòuhòu fúwù wǎngdiǎn biànbù quánguó.
  • English: Don't worry, this product's after-sales service locations are all over the country.
  • Analysis: This provides reassurance to a customer worried about getting repairs for a product. `网点 (wǎngdiǎn)` means “service point” or “branch,” and `遍布全国 (biànbù quánguó)` means “spread all over the country.”

• `售后服务` vs. `客服 (kèfú)`: This is the most common point of confusion.
  • `售后服务 (shòuhòu fúwù)` is the system or process of post-sale support (the returns policy, the warranty, the repair service).
  • `客服 (kèfú)` is the person or department you interact with (the customer service representative).
  • Correct: 我要联系客服(kèfú)来处理售后服务(shòuhòu fúwù)的问题。 (I need to contact customer service to handle an after-sales service issue.)
  • Incorrect: 我要联系售后服务。 (This sounds strange, like saying “I need to contact after-sales service.” You contact a person/department, which is `客服`.)
• It's More Than Just Repairs: Don't limit your understanding of `售后服务` to just fixing broken things. In China, it heavily includes returns for subjective reasons (“I don't like it,” “It doesn't fit”), especially under the legally mandated “七天无理由退货” (7-day no-reason return) online shopping policy. This is a huge part of the `售后服务` landscape.

• 客服 (kèfú) - Customer Service (the representative or department). The people who provide `售后服务`.
• 退货 (tuìhuò) - To Return Goods. A key component of `售后服务`.
• 换货 (huànhuò) - To Exchange Goods. Another common option within `售后服务`.
• 维修 (wéixiū) - To Repair / Maintain. The service performed on a faulty product under warranty.
• 保修 (bǎoxiū) - Warranty. The policy that defines the terms of the free `售后服务` (like repairs).
• 评价 (píngjià) - Evaluation / Review. Customer ratings are heavily influenced by the seller's `售后服务`.
• 投诉 (tóusù) - Complaint / To Complain. What a customer does when they receive poor `售后服务`.
• 七天无理由退货 (qī tiān wú lǐyóu tuìhuò) - “7-day no-reason return.” A cornerstone policy of Chinese e-commerce and a major part of `售后服务`.
• 卖家 (màijiā) - Seller. The person or company responsible for providing `售后服务`.
• 买家 (mǎijiā) - Buyer. The person who receives `售后服务`.