Free e-market competition is good for all

Working staff distribute packs in an express company in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, Nov 12, 2012. The annual Single's Day which falls on Nov 11 has become a shopping festival under a continuous sales promotion of e-commerce groups. [Photo/Xinhua]

Alibaba.com and jd.com, China's e-commerce giants, recently had a dispute with the latter accusing the former of preventing online retailers who took part in JD's sales activities from taking part in sales through Alibaba's platform. Jd.com said it had reported the matter to the authorities. Comments:

Free competition helps a market prosper while monopoly harms it - this principle applies to online and offline businesses both. There is not enough evidence to suggest that either of the e-commerce platforms in China has turned into a monopoly. Still law enforcers need to take measures to penalize companies for trying to monopolize online retail. Only strict measures can ensure the continuation of a free e-market.

Beijing Times, Nov 5

Alibaba.com and jd.com have been blaming each other in the run-up to the Nov 11 grand sale for the past few years and, in the process, attracting public attention. We do not mean to say this is a kind of commercial speculation, but the fact is, with their disputes becoming an annual affair, Nov 11 has already become a "festival of consumption".

Southern Metropolis Daily, Nov 5

Many say free competition helps a market boom. However, the competition between alibaba.com and jd.com this year could hurt the domestic retail industry, because retailers risk offending one of them by choosing to support the other. It is time to regulate the market strictly according to the law, instead of allowing it to grow in a wild way.

Hangzhou Daily, Nov 5

Competition is always good news for consumers because it compels businesses to provide better goods and services. But law enforcers of the country should be cautious while deciding whether a company is trying to monopolize the market, because alibaba.com and jd.com both work with a huge number of online retailers. This case might be an example for future businesses to follow.

Beijing Business Today, Nov 5