Microblog insights

Topic 1:

Thousands of small online sellers attacked larger online vendors on tmall.com, China's largest business-to-consumer (B2C) online marketplace by transaction value, after the platform significantly increased service fees on online merchandisers on Oct 11. Analysts said that this organized unrest is a measure of the widespread discontent with Taobao Mall's growing reliance on bigger merchants, and it highlights a crisis for the industry monopoly.

CAIYOUREN: There should be a threshold for online merchants to enter Taobao Mall. If small vendors could also enter Taobao Mall easily, then why should tmall.com exist?

QDFOCUS: I think Taobao Mall did the right thing because this measure will help to eliminate low-quality suppliers and improve the reputation of Taobao Mall.

FFENGLISHIZU: I see opportunities for Taobao's competitors in this online scuffle. Competition is a good thing for the market.

TOP-LONGEVITY: I'm wondering if small online vendors should deal with this new policy using the laws instead of resorting to virtual violence.

Topic 2:

China's consumer price index (CPI), a main gauge of inflation, rose 6.1 percent in September year-on-year, lower than the pace of growth registered in August when the CPI increased by 6.2 percent compared with the same period last year, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced on Oct 14.

XUMOUMOU: I spend 18 yuan on my lunch every day in the dining hall and the food is not at all appealing.

MRTOMORROW_LITTLEPUMPKIN: Nobody can stop China's CPI from climbing and I'm wondering if it is time for me to store some gold.

LIUCHUIFENGDEWEIBO: The renminbi is appreciating continuously against US dollars, but depreciating significantly in our country. What should people do to deal with the price hikes.

GUNWUWA: The price of pork has increased again recently but my salary remains at the same level.

All the information is from Sina Weibo

(China Daily 10/18/2011 page14)