Beijing’s market regulator (北京市市场监督管理局) said on 6 November that it had handed major platform companies a set of 11.11 compliance guidelines, 「“双11”网络集中促销期间网络交易平台合规行为指引」. The document draws four lines for platforms, and one of them protects merchants: platforms may not force sellers into promotions or below-cost pricing. Two days earlier the same bureau listed five online advertising risks, including a test for when a “No. 1” sales claim becomes misleading.
No forced promotions, no below-cost selling
Under the guidelines, platforms may not force merchants, openly or in disguised form, to join promotions, buy services or sell below cost. They may not charge different prices to consumers on the same trading terms, nor discriminate on price between merchants in the same position.
When a platform throttles a shop’s traffic (限流) or deducts from its deposit, it has to tell the merchant the facts, the reasons and the basis for the decision, and offer an easy way to appeal.
The home-page price has to match the product page
Price tags must be complete, truthful and clearly marked. Platforms are expected to review promotion plans in advance and may not use technical means to make merchants display false or misleading prices. The bureau named two practices that must not appear: a home-page price lower than the one on the product detail page, and promotion rules that differ from what shoppers actually get.
The other two lines cover the storefront and after-sales service. The guidelines tell platforms to have merchants display their business licences and administrative permits prominently, to clear out prohibited goods and to take down violating listings at once. They also call for enough customer-service staff, open hotlines and close attention to the stages that draw the most complaints: pre-sales, balance payments, delivery and returns.
| Area | What the guidelines ask of platforms |
|---|---|
| Merchant credentials and banned goods | Merchants show licences and permits in a prominent place; targeted clean-ups and real-time checks; violating listings removed immediately |
| Price display | Complete, accurate, clear price tags; promotion plans reviewed in advance; no technical pressure on merchants to show misleading prices |
| Fair treatment | No forced promotions, service purchases or below-cost sales; no price discrimination; reasons and an appeal route for traffic limits or deposit deductions |
| After-sales | Enough customer-service staff; focus on pre-sales, balance payments, fulfilment and returns; complaint tickets closed out |
When a “No. 1” claim counts as misleading
The bureau’s 4 November advertising notice targets ads that use words such as “first” (第一), “pioneer” (首创), “best” (最佳) or “leading” (领先) to describe sales volume, revenue or market share. It calls the tactic a “carrot-pit citation” (萝卜坑引证): the statistics cover an area smaller than a provincial-level region, or an industry segment narrower than national or sector standards such as the National Economic Industry Classification (国民经济行业分类), with no recognised standard behind the cut.
The notice lists four other risks. Ads that splash discounts in large type while shrinking conditions, expiry dates or disclaimers into small, faint or folded text may count as false advertising. So may ads that cite test reports, statistics, surveys or certifications without a source, rely on data that cannot be checked, or quote selectively. Training courses may not promise exam results, and ordinary food and daily-use goods may not claim to prevent or treat disease.
Pre-sale deposits are capped at 20%
A 27 October notice from the bureau sets out the rules for pre-sale deposits. A binding deposit (定金) may not exceed 20% of the total price under the Civil Code (民法典); any amount above that does not count as a deposit. A shopper who walks away for personal reasons can lose it, but a seller who cancels or runs out of stock owes double the deposit back. If the seller pulls the listing, changes the rules, closes the payment channel or changes the price on its own before the balance is due, the bureau treats that as the seller’s breach and the shopper can reclaim the deposit.
The same notice says sellers may not post a blanket “no seven-day returns in this shop” statement. Article 25 of the Consumer Rights Protection Law (消费者权益保护法) lets online buyers return goods within seven days without giving a reason. The legal exceptions are custom-made items, fresh and perishable goods, downloaded or unsealed digital products, and delivered newspapers and periodicals. Other goods can be excluded only when their nature makes returns unsuitable and the buyer confirmed this at purchase.
Sources · Beijing Municipal Administration for Market Regulation: platform guidelines notice (6 November 2026) · online advertising risk notice (4 November 2026) · deposits and returns notice (27 October 2026)
