My personal opinion on the Taobao Mall farce

Today I'd like to share my thoughts on recent events at Taobao Mall. Discussion is welcome; those who are just looking for amusement should stay away.

I don't quite understand why Taobao Mall's price increase for shops has caused so much dissatisfaction among small vendors, ultimately leading them to unite and engage in a series of "mob" actions. When CCTV interviewed them the day before yesterday, they explained it as a way to get public attention, using violence to gain attention. While this method is certainly underhanded, I think they were either desperate or powerless.

Why did the price increase cause such a strong reaction? As a manager of an online marketplace, optimizing the setup of shops is perfectly reasonable. Prioritizing a select few helps protect consumer rights. In my experience, Taobao Mall initially gave me the impression of being a marketplace for large brands, selling expensive items, but with guaranteed quality. However, I generally don't shop there because I can't find genuine products at low prices.
[separator]
Rising shop rents are forcing small shops to close down. Firstly, rampant inflation and a sluggish economy, coupled with domestic and international pressures, are already making life difficult. Secondly, the rise of e-commerce has led to an overabundance of shops, resulting in fierce competition and shrinking profit margins. This situation makes these small businesses seem particularly vulnerable.

However, we cannot ignore the fact that Taobao Mall targets established brands, similar to Yintai Department Store, making it an elite supermarket. Since it's an elite supermarket, why include small shops? Moreover, Taobao's various modules are clearly categorized: the mall targets reputable brands, individual shops cater to the general public (it's free, I have my own shop, and it seems to be free), and there's a marketplace for lower-end sellers. This allocation is perfectly reasonable, allowing different consumers to choose according to their needs. So, what is the purpose of those causing trouble?

A couple of days ago, CCTV interviewed the ringleader of the disturbance, and it left me with a certain impression. The ringleader's speech was unclear and illogical, suggesting a low level of education, perhaps due to nervousness. Choosing to do business means accepting market risks. If you can't afford a luxury house, you can't complain about its price and then vandalize it. The logic is that simple. But when faced with profit, self-interest comes first, and so some less financially capable businessmen became angry and began to organize.

In my opinion, many small business owners who dedicate themselves to e-commerce lack sufficient education and cognitive ability. They are prone to herd mentality, banding together to rebel when there's no profit to be made. While their self-interest isn't inherently wrong, it disrupts the normal market order. It's like a supermarket refusing to buy products from unlicensed small businesses to improve quality, only to have those businesses, limited to smaller retail stores, band together and burn the supermarket down. The only difference is that they are less capable than the small businesses themselves, as they lack the production capacity and are merely middlemen.

I listened to their YY channel today. Leaving aside their speaking skills (stuttering and incoherent), most of their comments were from their own perspective, many of their views were hearsay, untenable, and even illogical. Although it appeared to be an organized riot, it was essentially an act of individuals exploiting consumers for their own benefit; their audacity grew as they united.

I find it laughable that the Ministry of Commerce has announced an investigation into this matter. They are not small businesses, nor do they have any physical operations; they are merely intermediaries, and perhaps they operate on more than one platform, Taobao. What business is it of the Ministry of Commerce if a marketplace expels unqualified vendors to improve product quality? They should be helping businesses on the verge of collapse; look at the situation in Guangzhou and Wenzhou.

Also, why does CCTV refer to B2C (business to consumer) as "B二C"? ...Is this industry too new for the news reporters to understand? They've been reporting on it for two days already; I wonder how long they'll stop being so "naive."

After checking the troublemakers' official Weibo and YY channels, I found their behavior increasingly ridiculous and unreasonable. They were desperately trying to gain attention, posting their YY accounts and Weibo everywhere, while their Weibo followers were mostly from multiple smaller accounts (some only followed one person). This is a kind of tragedy. Perhaps they were driven to desperation by opening an online store, or perhaps they live at the bottom of society and genuinely need attention. I pity them, and I feel sorry for them. If they had learned some skills or something else, why would they choose to open a store on Taobao, which requires no technical expertise? Even farming would be better than their current situation.

You can check out their Weibo (http://weibo.com/2266564430) and YY-34158. To reiterate, this article represents personal opinions. Rational discussion is welcome. If you're feeling overwhelmed or just looking to vent about your daily life, please look elsewhere.