Taobao fee protest stopped
By Feng Jianmin |
October 17, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SMALL vendors who protested against Taobao Mall's decision to raise service charges on businesses announced yesterday they will suspend their protest after China's Ministry of Commerce ordered Taobao.com to "properly handle the disputes."
The announcement followed a week-long protest after Taobao said on October 10 it will increase its service charges on vendors from 6,000 yuan to 30,000 yuan (US$4,702) or 60,000 yuan effective from January 1, 2012, a move believed to favor larger vendors and making it more difficult for smaller ones to thrive.
Upset and angry at the rule, more than 1,000 small vendors took revenge on some big vendors by intentionally buying products from them and then applying for refund. The big vendors were forced to suspend transactions as Taobao's rules say sellers should refund customers within seven days, or they will be punished.
"We will suspend part of our activities as the ministry has stepped in and we believe there will be a satisfactory solution to the issue," the announcement said.
The ministry has ordered Taobao to listen to the small vendors and to properly handle the issue in order to stabilize consumer prices and help develop small- and medium-sized retailers, according to a statement posted on the ministry's website on Saturday.
Taobao Mall yesterday claimed that "most vendors' business has been restored to normal."
The announcement followed a week-long protest after Taobao said on October 10 it will increase its service charges on vendors from 6,000 yuan to 30,000 yuan (US$4,702) or 60,000 yuan effective from January 1, 2012, a move believed to favor larger vendors and making it more difficult for smaller ones to thrive.
Upset and angry at the rule, more than 1,000 small vendors took revenge on some big vendors by intentionally buying products from them and then applying for refund. The big vendors were forced to suspend transactions as Taobao's rules say sellers should refund customers within seven days, or they will be punished.
"We will suspend part of our activities as the ministry has stepped in and we believe there will be a satisfactory solution to the issue," the announcement said.
The ministry has ordered Taobao to listen to the small vendors and to properly handle the issue in order to stabilize consumer prices and help develop small- and medium-sized retailers, according to a statement posted on the ministry's website on Saturday.
Taobao Mall yesterday claimed that "most vendors' business has been restored to normal."
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