Taiwan's 'Well-Known E-Commerce Platform' Suddenly Shuts Down! Customers Paid but No Delivery, Company Vanishes — Legal Affairs Department Responds

Another shockwave has hit the e-commerce sector: the Taipei City Legal Affairs Department announced today (18th) a consumer alert regarding HOMEE Homestyle, a well-known online shopping platform operated by Homy Living Co., Ltd., which is suspected of abruptly ceasing operations. Yesterday afternoon, consumer protection officers joined forces with the Taipei City Department of Commerce to conduct a joint inspection at the company's registered address, only to find the office door locked and completely vacant. Building management confirmed that no one from the company had entered or exited recently.

The sudden collapse of the popular home furnishings e-commerce site HOMEE Homestyle has sparked widespread concern. On Google Maps, the business is now marked as 'Permanently Closed.' On Threads, both employees and customers have posted messages: 'The HOMEE AI office has been emptied. The new chairman has disappeared, refusing to pay salaries or issue severance. We’ve already filed a complaint with the Labor Bureau, but mediation could take 4–5 weeks…'; 'I bought a dining table and chairs from HOMEE at the end of May, fully paid by credit card, with delivery expected by mid-July. Now it seems nothing is being shipped'; 'I purchased a table (already with the logistics company). Who can help me now?'

The Taipei City Legal Affairs Department stated that after receiving multiple consumer complaints, consumer protection officers immediately launched an investigation. Upon arrival at the registered address, inspectors found the office locked and empty. The building’s management confirmed that the company had not had any personnel entering or leaving recently, strongly indicating that the e-commerce platform has ceased operations without notice.

Consumer protection officers acknowledged that the case involves serious consumer disputes, likely too severe to be resolved through standard administrative mediation. To prevent victims from being left without recourse, the department urges all affected consumers to immediately preserve all transaction records, chat screenshots, and payment receipts.

Different Protection Strategies for Cash vs. Credit Card Payments: Two Key Recovery Channels

For consumers who paid via cash or credit card, the consumer protection office outlined two distinct legal remedies:

Channel 1: Cash Payments (including bank counter or online transfers) Consumers who paid via cash or bank transfer are advised to consider filing a 'payment order' petition with the court or initiating a lawsuit to recover their funds through judicial means.

Channel 2: Credit Card Payments (or prepaid balances) Consumers who used credit cards are urged to act quickly by contacting their card-issuing bank to file a 'disputed transaction' claim. Banks can initiate chargeback procedures to maximize consumer protection.

The Taipei City Legal Affairs Department added that consumers with further questions or uncertainties about the claims process can call the national consumer service hotline '1950' or the Taipei City Citizen Hotline '1999' (extension 7812). The city government will continue to provide professional consultation services to safeguard consumer rights.