The best way to move merchandise is very often via Amazon, but some Chinese company executives have to be concerned with an apparent move to take away that option.
With e-commerce awash in get-rich-quick popularity, China’s exporters have sought to jump into the rich pool – one that includes those looking to skirt the rules.
A Tech Crunch story illustrated the troubles, reporting Amazon has suspended 11 accounts from China, according to Juozas Kaziukenas, founder of Marketplace Pulse.
Those suspended accounts bring in more than a billion dollars in gross merchandise value (GMV) to Amazon, Kaziukenas said.
Amazon did not provide comment on the action but a spokesman told TechCrunch:
“(We have) “long-standing policies to protect the integrity of our store, including product authenticity, genuine reviews, and products meeting the expectations of our customers.
“We take swift action against those that violate them, including suspending or removing selling privileges.”
TechCrunch said the Chinese e-commerce exporters were rattled and that Amazon’s moves were questionable at best.
Amazon says it shares enforcement actions directly with selling accounts, and a businessman told the outlet that this is an impactful decision.
“This isn’t the first time Amazon has shut down accounts over fake reviews and other behavior that violate its rules, but the scale of this wave is unprecedented,” said Bill Zhang, who develops and exports smart training suits through Amazon.
The fake review tactics involve sending fabricated orders, paying real buyers to provide glowing reviews and other forms of manipulation.
One toy exporter who also worked 10 years for an export trade show in China put it as politically correct as he could.
“It’s an open secret that a lot of Chinese sellers are aggressive towards marketing,” Cameron Walker said in the TechCrunch report.
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