A well-known "doll doctor" who repairs stuffed toys in Shanghai has received customer complaints about his high costs and allegations that he lacks a business license.
A customer surnamed Wu said he recently took his child's plush pillow to "Uncle Zhu's Doll Hospital" for repairs but encountered repeated price increases, totaling over 10,000 yuan (US$1,381). Wu claimed that the "hospital" did not provide a contract, pricing standards, or even a business license.
He contacted "doll doctor" Zhu Boming online, expecting a simple repair process. However, he was required to pay a registration fee before any "treatment" began. After a month of repairs, the toy was not fully repaired, and the budget had already exceeded several times the original estimate.
"The registration fee was 180 yuan, and a single cleaning cost one or two thousand yuan. The most outrageous part was the fur replanting, for which he charged 30 yuan per square centimeter. We ended up paying over 5,000 yuan for that, and the total cost amounted to 10,300 yuan. I feel like I was being tricked step by step, and they never disclosed the total price upfront," Wu said to Xinmin Evening News.
The plush pillow was eventually repaired, but Wu believed that the cost was not worth it.
The toy before its repair.
The toy after the repair.
Zhu, aged 77, opened a "toy hospital" in his home in Shanghai to repair toys in 2016. He gained some fame, and many media outlets reported his story of repairing dolls.
He said he not only repairs the toys, but restores their owners' precious childhood memories.
According to earlier media reports, in 2022, Zhu's high fees were already being questioned by consumers. At that time, the local authorities in Hongkou District summoned Zhu for rectification. He stated that he would "try not to charge fees and move forward in the direction of public welfare."
Two years later, the issues remain the same. The district market watchdog said Zhu has not yet obtained a business license.
Retiree Zhu Boming repairs old toys at his home.
Many netizens have left comments on social media platforms sharing similar experiences of being overcharged by Zhu when seeking his services to repair their dolls.
One netizen said, "Initially, I clearly stated that I was a student with a limited budget of 1,000 yuan. However, Zhu gradually tricked me, capitalizing on my concern and desperation to repair my doll. He continually demanded more money. Fearful that my doll might be damaged if I refused to pay, I reluctantly agreed to his escalating demands multiple times. The stitching job was so shoddy that it barely resembled a restoration. It was merely a patchwork effort on the doll."
Many netizens have posted negative experiences with Zhu on social media platforms.
