Features of Online Settlement of Consumer Disputes by e-commerce Platforms in the People’s Republic of China

Objective: to research the features of online dispute settlement by e-commerce platforms in the People’s Republic of China, to reveal positive features and drawbacks of ODS technologies applied by the platforms.

Methods: empirical methods of comparison, description, interpretation; theoretical methods of formal and dialectical logic. Specific scientific methods were used: legal-dogmatic and the method of legal norms interpretation.

Results: it was found that the internal ODS model on e-commerce Taobao ODS platforms is a direct, clear and effective means of online resolution of consumer disputes. However, being a non-independent “third party”, the internal ODS mechanism of e-commerce platforms will never be able to substitute other external systems of dispute resolution. ODS relies on the data and Internet processes much stronger than traditional dispute resolution. Among the many safety factors emerging as a result of online processes, ODS creates the risk of data leakage, lack of confidentiality and unsafe consumer protection. ODS also causes concerns due to traditional principles of justice such as objectivity, confidentiality and safety of data in the process of dispute settlement. Not only the People’s Republic of China but any country introducing the ODS technologies into the procedures of dispute resolution should take serious measures to ensure the ODS processes are just, unbiased and guarantee observance of procedural rights. 

Scientific novelty: consists in a complex research of online dispute settlement by e-commerce platforms in the People’s Republic of China, the practice of implementation thereof has its specific features stemming from the model of self-regulation of thee relations, further stipulated by normative legal acts of the People’s Republic of China and reflected in the activity of private ODS platforms.

Practical significance: is due to the current absence of possibility to apply the legal norms and rules, taking into account the specific features of ODS technologies on private platforms, to the relations using such technologies. The main provisions and conclusions of the research can be used to improve the mechanisms of legal regulation of ODS technologies in the procedural legislation of the Russian Federation.

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