Taobao, the country's largest online marketplace, has been accused of selling fake goods by U.S. brands. (Photo : www.english.caixin.com)
Chinese e-commerce titan Alibaba has revised its procedures for removing fake goods from its listings in online marketplaces, as the company faced mounting criticisms for not doing enough to curb counterfeit goods, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
Under the new rules, complaints will be reviewed in one to three working days, instead of five to seven days, for global brands that can accurately flag fake goods on Alibaba's Tmall and Taobao.
According to Alibaba, a dedicated representative will be assigned to attend to the complaints of brands or companies that will sign up for the new program.
The report said that Alibaba did not divulge how many brands have enrolled in its "good-faith takedown" program, which took effect on April 1.
The Chinese e-commerce giant said that the new procedures show that it is "constantly enhancing and refining" its anticounterfeiting operations, which some experts said could only make filing complaints more complicated.
Alibaba has been encountering problems and issues on counterfeit goods. Kering SA luxury brands including Gucci, Balenciaga and Yves Saint Laurent filed suit against Alibaba last month, and claimed that the e-commerce company profited from counterfeit goods on their platforms.
Alibaba denied the accusation and said that the complaint has no basis.
In April, the American Apparel & Footwear Association, which represents more than 1,000 brands, also complained of the "rampant proliferation" of fake goods on Alibaba's Taobao. The platform has eight million mostly small sellers who offer 800 million items.
Alibaba said that it has addressed the issue and has been working with the group since 2012.
In January, a Chinese government agency said in a white paper that Alibaba failed to crack down on the sale of fake goods, and was at fault for tolerating bribery and other illegal activity, but the paper was later removed from the agency's website.
Alibaba joined with the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition last year, with the aim to streamline its process of dealing with fake goods on Taobao.
Chris Bailey, a Shanghai-based partner with consulting firm Rouse, expressed satisfaction with Alibaba's new procedures for removing counterfeits.
