Taobao Launches Consumer Protection Platform
Southern Metropolis, 3/09/10
On March 8, Hangzhou-based B2C and C2C e-commerce company Taobao announced the launch of its new consumer protection platform. Taobao joined with more than 20 brands at its Hangzhou headquarters, including Swiss Army Knives, Adidas, Epson, Uniqlo, Li Ning, and Yishion to sign and release the "Hangzhou Declaration of War on Fakes."
The Consumer Protection Platform will be prominently linked at the top of Taobao's homepage; the link will also be available at every stage of the Taobao experience, from purchasing to after-sales pages. Users who submit a complaint will be able to check on the status of their complaint through the website. The main page for the platform will also feature a "name and shame" section, featuring periodic updates exposing the identities of fraudulent sellers. Taobao will require sellers to respond to customer complaints within 48 hours; if this period passes without a response from sellers, Taobao consumer rights staff will process the complaint within a further 48 hours. Taobao has committed to responding with complaint processing results within 7 days for all disputed transactions.
Editor's Note: Taobao's consumer rights department processed several hundred thousand disputed transactions last year, ruling in favor of consumers in 98% of the cases. Taobao and brand partners cracked down on more than 8,000 cases of counterfeit goods, preventing the sale of more than 3 mln counterfeit products through their platform, and punishing more than 14,000 online vendors.
Editor's Note: For more background on this topic, please see "Taobao to Launch Consumer Protection Platform" MD 1/13/10 issue.
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