The “double eleven” festival is just a few days away. What was once known as “single's day” in China is now the busiest online shopping day of the year. And it is also a time for plenty of complaints about online retailers.
The double eleven shopping festival has grown rapidly over the past few years, thanks to huge bargains on offer by almost all online retailers in the country. But as sales rise, so do complaints.
"I often check the prices of cosmetics I want to buy. But I found on the double eleven festival some prices have no great difference with usual time. They seem to be only a little cheaper. I think some retailers push up prices before the festival so discounts look bigger," said Jiang Xue, Shanghai citizen.
"I once found the quality and color of the clothing I bought was not as good as the advertising promised," said Sun Lan, Shanghai citizen.
Shanghai industry and commerce officials say they recently did a check on popular shopping websites in the city. And they found some promotions could be misleading to buyers.
"For instance, one website said it would give rewards such as an Apple watch to all buyers. But we found there were only a few watches among the prizes, while the majority were other cheaper things," said Li Hong from Shanghai Industry & Commerce Administration.
Officials say retailers who refuse to withdraw false advertising will be punished. The State Administration of Industry and Commerce released regulations on online shopping and promotion in September, and they went into effect last month.