Comsumer rights website in bribery scandal
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A Chinese consumer complaints website was exposed on Wednesday by China Central Television (CCTV) for taking money in return for keeping complaints off its website, however the website has accused CCTV of distorting the facts.
According to the news program, the website (www.315ts.net) charges its "enterprise partners" an annual service fee of between 120,000 yuan ($18,100) and 180,000 yuan and in return shortens the time consumer complaints made against them stay online.
If companies opt for the VIP service called "brand direct path", consumer complaints against them are kept completely off the website, the report said.
With an annual fee of 300,000 yuan for the "brand direct path" service, the website can reduce the number of complaints about a "partner" by 60 to 70 percent, Cao Zhiwen, the website operations director, said in CCTV's three-minute clip, which was clearly shot without Cao's knowledge.
The website now has more than 100 "partners" and "none of them dare to quit", although the service fee for 2011 will be increased by 30,000 yuan, Cao said.
According to Cao, the website operates under the auspices of the China Electronic Chamber of Commerce, which is managed by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
The website is designed as a platform not only for consumers to lodge complaints, but also for enterprises to respond to the complaints to improve their after-sales service, it said.
After the CCTV report, the website issued a statement on its homepage, saying the television program had manipulated the facts.
"We hope CCTV can release all the video it took with Cao Zhiwen, instead of fabricating news," it said.
"The website's business operations and complaints management are separate and open. We welcome all kinds of supervision, but we will not tolerate any slander."
Established in 2005, 315ts.net deals with a daily average of 1,500 online complaints, which are often used by dozens of Chinese media as sources of news, the website said.
The dispute occurred amid increasing media exposure of fake and shoddy products ahead of World Consumer Rights Day on March 15.
In recent weeks, State broadcaster CCTV has repeatedly uncovered counterfeit products ranging from fake wine to "man-made" eggs.
