The Halo of "Self-operated" Fades: A Trust Crisis in Online Shopping

The Halo of "Self-operated" Fades: A Trust Crisis in Online ShoppingThey say I have the lucky charm. Those who follow me will never be short of luck! If you want to be rolling in dough, start by hitting the follow button! Wishing you a fortune every day and endless prosperity!"These days, it's so hard to just buy something honestly

The Halo of "Self-operated" Fades: A Trust Crisis in Online Shopping

They say I have the lucky charm. Those who follow me will never be short of luck! If you want to be rolling in dough, start by hitting the follow button! Wishing you a fortune every day and endless prosperity!"

These days, it's so hard to just buy something honestly. My friend Xiaoying scrolled through her phone, grumbling to me. Curious, I leaned in, and saw her browsing product reviews on an e-commerce platform. The dense text was filled with words like "fake self-operated," "after-sales evasion," "goods not as described," and so on. "Today's merchants are getting more and more tricky, it's impossible to guard against them!" Xiaoying sighed, her voice filled with helplessness.

Her feelings resonated with me. Once upon a time, "self-operated" was synonymous with authentic guarantee and quality service, a reassuring choice for online shoppers. However, with the continuous development of e-commerce platforms, more and more "tricks" began to hide under this "golden signboard," causing many consumers to doubt "self-operated".

A while ago, I also had a "bad experience" in a self-operated store on a well-known e-commerce platform. I had my eye on a bluetooth headset for a while, thinking that self-operated stores should be more reliable, so I placed an order without hesitation. After receiving the package, I found that the headset's workmanship and audio quality were far from what was advertised, clearly showing quality issues.

I immediately contacted the platforms customer service, but was told that I needed to provide various cumbersome documents to proceed with the return or exchange. After much effort, I finally successfully returned the product, but the whole process left me exhausted, and my goodwill towards "self-operated" plummeted.

Talking to Xiaoying, I discovered that this experience was not unique. Many netizens have encountered various "pits" in "self-operated stores," ranging from product quality issues to after-sales service evasion.

"I bought a self-operated robot vacuum cleaner on a platform, and it broke down after a while. After contacting customer service, they told me to contact the manufacturer for repair myself, saying they were only responsible for sales, not after-sales service," one netizen complained on social media. "I bought a self-operated skincare product, and when I received it, I found it was fake. I reported it to customer service, but they insisted it was authentic and asked me to provide all sorts of documents. Finally, I had to find a professional agency to identify it, and they confirmed it was fake," shared another netizen.

These real experiences force us to reflect: What happened to "self-operated," once representing trust and guarantee? Is it a lack of platform oversight, or the pursuit of profit by merchants? Perhaps there are deeper reasons behind it, which we need to explore and ponder.

In-depth exploration of the reasons behind these "self-operated" chaos, we can easily discover that the lack of platform oversight and the profit-seeking nature of merchants are the two main "culprits" behind the frequent problems.

Some e-commerce platforms, in pursuit of rapid expansion, often neglect the qualification verification and oversight of the merchants they accept, giving opportunities to some unscrupulous merchants. They operate under the guise of "self-operated" but engage in "hanging sheepskin to sell dog meat," with substandard products, false advertising, and evading after-sales service becoming increasingly common, seriously harming consumers' legitimate rights. "Platforms only care about making money, where do they have time to care about so much?" a friend who previously worked for an e-commerce platform told me. "Many times, to attract merchants to join, platforms lower the verification threshold, even turning a blind eye, which leads to some unscrupulous merchants taking advantage of the situation."

Other merchants, driven by profit, are willing to go to great lengths, seeing "self-operated" as a tool for profit maximization. They take advantage of consumers' trust in "self-operated" to sell counterfeit products, inflate prices, lower service quality, and even outsource after-sales service to third parties, making profits from the difference, ultimately harming consumers' interests and the platform's reputation. "The wool comes from the sheep, and merchants will eventually pass on the cost to consumers," pointed out a seasoned online shopping enthusiast. "Some merchants, in pursuit of maximizing profits, are willing to sacrifice product quality and service standards, ultimately harming the entire industry's ecological environment."

"I bought a self-operated air purifier on a platform, and it malfunctioned shortly after use. After contacting customer service, they asked me to send it back for repair, and I had to bear the round-trip shipping costs myself. Later, I found that the price of this air purifier was hundreds of yuan cheaper on other platforms, and the after-sales service was also better," one netizen shared their experience in the comments section. "Now, many self-operated stores are bullying customers by relying on their size, thinking that their platform is big and has high traffic, so they dont care about consumers, their customer service attitude is bad, and their problem-solving efficiency is low, it's simply infuriating!" another netizen expressed their dissatisfaction.

Facing the increasingly rampant "self-operated" chaos, how can consumers defend their legitimate rights?

First, be vigilant and don't blindly trust the halo of "self-operated." Before purchasing goods, carefully review store information, product details, after-sales service, etc., choose stores with good reputation and high ratings, and try to choose cash on delivery or third-party payment platforms to avoid direct transfer to merchants. "I suggest that you can first check price comparison websites or other e-commerce platforms to compare prices and reviews before deciding where to buy," a helpful netizen shared their experience.

Second, keep relevant evidence to facilitate timely right protection when encountering problems. After receiving the goods, carefully inspect the product quality and properly store the purchase certificate, chat records, logistics information, etc. Once a problem is found, promptly resolve it with the merchant, and if negotiations fail, seek right protection through platform complaints or by calling the consumer complaint hotline. "Don't be afraid of trouble when encountering problems, be sure to actively seek right protection and defend your legitimate rights," reminded a legal professional. "Many e-commerce platforms now have dedicated right protection channels, and consumers can make full use of these channels to protect their rights."

Finally, be a rational consumer and avoid impulsive purchases. In the face of various promotional activities and "limited-time grabs," stay calm, don't be swayed by merchants' marketing tactics, and make rational consumption based on your actual needs to avoid buying unnecessary or unsuitable goods. "Online shopping should be rational, don't be blinded by low prices and promotions," reminded a seasoned shopping enthusiast. "Buy goods based on your actual needs, avoid buying things that end up sitting unused."

"Self-operated" should be a tool for e-commerce platforms to improve service quality and strengthen consumer trust, but under the lure of profits, it has gradually changed its meaning and become a tool for some merchants to deceive consumers and profit from them.

To completely eradicate "self-operated" chaos, platforms, merchants, and consumers need to work together.

Platforms need to strengthen oversight, improve relevant regulations, raise the threshold for merchant entry, severely punish violators, and create a fair, transparent, and safe online shopping environment.

Merchants need to operate in good faith, avoid counterfeit products, provide high-quality goods and services, and gain consumer trust and support.

Consumers need to improve their self-protection awareness, consume rationally, actively seek right protection, and jointly maintain a good online shopping order.

Only in this way can "self-operated" return to its original meaning, becoming a reassuring choice for consumers when shopping online, rather than a synonym for "stepping on mines."

Have you encountered any "self-operated" chaos while shopping online? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments section, and let's discuss together how to make online shopping safer, more convenient, and more enjoyable.

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