The regulation, titled “Compliance Guide for Online Trading Platform Fees”, covers any internet platforms that “provide online business premises, facilitate transactions, distribute information and offer other services”, according to the draft posted on the website of the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) on Sunday.
The proposed regulation would require platform operators to “reduce burdens for merchants”, with a focus on supporting small and medium-sized businesses by allowing them to pay lower fees or receive exemptions from certain commissions. The document also urges platforms to “take social responsibility” during natural disasters or public health emergencies by reducing or waiving commissions and lowering other fees.
The regulation aims for greater fee transparency through more visible online disclosures. For deposits, operators must specify how the money will be returned and ensure that it is not misused or embezzled, according to the draft.
Shopping sites would also be required to publish commission fees “in a prominent position on the homepage”. Before any planned pricing changes, platforms would have to solicit public opinion on the homepage for a minimum of seven days. They would also be required to keep historical pricing records for three years to ensure that merchants could easily access past standards.
