December 28 is the day when Taobao’s new evaluation rules formally come into effect. The platform stipulates that in the future, sellers shall not guide buyers to give praise through cash rebates, free orders, etc. In this regard, all parties have mixed joys and sorrows.Buyers seem to be inseparable from certain “good reviews”. Some people think that they will write a few good comments on the face of the red envelopes, but if they write too many good comments mixed with water, if they look at the good comments of others, they will be murmured in their hearts and can’t figure out whether they are true or false.
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Taobao adjusts the evaluation norms and will prohibit the cashback of praise
Author/She Ying
Sellers also love and hate to rebate good reviews. Rebates for good reviews drive purchases, but they increase costs; if cashbacks are not returned, 8 of the 10 buyers may not be too lazy to write reviews, and the remaining two may even give a bad review. The seller is afraid of “evaluation shortage”. Even more afraid of bad reviews.
Major platforms are also worried that false reviews will weaken users’ trust in the platform. However, in order to increase the overall activity and sales of the platform, they often “turn one eye and close one eye” to sellers. This ambivalence to a certain extent has led to repeated bans on good reviews, and good reviews have become “water” reviews to a certain extent.
Netizens commented screenshots. (Photo courtesy of the reporter)
The “water” reviews bought with money are tasteless, and it is a pity to discard them. Maybe it will be misleading. This seems to be a small problem within 10 yuan, but it is likely to become an unfair competition behavior that disrupts the market order and induces consumers to make unobjective evaluations of the product and the transaction between the two parties. This will not only infringe consumers’ right to know and fair transaction rights, but also does not conform to the principle of good faith.
As my country’s online shopping market is highly saturated, sellers and platforms are competing fiercely for traffic, number of users, and transaction volume. Although everyone understands that good reviews do more harm than good, but only relying on platform governance and requiring sellers to be conscious is probably hard to stop it, and it needs to be strengthened by the regulatory authorities in accordance with the law.
According to the Anti-Unfair Competition Law, the E-commerce Law and other laws, business operators are not allowed to make false or misleading commercial propaganda on user reviews of their products. In October 2021, the Jiangsu Yangzhou market supervision department invoked the Anti-Unfair Competition Law and fined 3 catering establishments that placed positive cashback cards in takeaways, respectively, by 12,000 yuan. Similar penalties are like alarm bells, reminding merchants that the praise they buy can only be fooled for a while, and only by improving the quality of goods and services can they be truly competitive. If the regulator encourages consumers to report positive feedback, it may help stop this unhealthy trend.
From the platform side, consumers are willing to write reviews, often because they can get a sense of identity and benefits from it. Therefore, in addition to assuming the main responsibility for the management of false marketing, the platform can also find ways to mobilize users’ enthusiasm for evaluation.
Screenshots of comments on foreign platforms. (Photo courtesy of the reporter)
In this regard, some platforms have made some attempts. For example, Amazon in the United States mainly promotes the Vine project. Sellers can provide free trial opportunities through the platform for high-quality users certified by the platform to make their own choices, and give real evaluations after the experience. These reviews will be displayed first on the product page in the form of green labels. Consumers believe that such green label reviews have the highest credibility, and reviewers will give a more objective and fair evaluation for the consideration of personal reputation and interests. Some domestic platforms also have similar “free trial” and “overlord meal” activities, and the evaluations written by the experiencers are generally objective, credible, and conversion rates are relatively high. Many sellers who have confidence in their own products and services will sign up, but those who are not confident have to avoid it. This objectively plays a role in enhancing the activity of the platform and purifying the shopping environment.
Bawang meal tasting reviews. (Photo courtesy of the reporter)
Other platforms carefully manage the membership system, linking membership levels with high-quality reviews. The more people who comment and help, and the higher the membership level, the more rights and interests you can enjoy. These methods have their own advantages and disadvantages, but whether it is attitude, whether it is management, it is ability. Praise cashback damages the interests of platforms, sellers and consumers, and all parties should work with the regulatory authorities to resist and crack down on such behavior.
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