(ECNS) -- Some online stores on the shopping site Taobao have banned buyers who give favorable ratings for less than 98 percent of their purchases, in an attempt to curb "unfavorable ratings with malicious intent," Beijing Youth Daily reported.
Recently, some buyers have complained that they were unable to buy goods at certain Taobao stores because their "favorable" ratings did not meet seller requirements.
A woman surnamed Li said a Taobao store declined her order for shampoo and asked her to apply for a refund, saying her previous ratings on Taobao failed to meet the company's requirement of 100 percent favorable.
Another woman, named Tong, said she was unable to purchase a dress due to a similar problem.
Taobao's customer service center denied ever making such a requirement. A service clerk advised the buyers to communicate with the sellers to reach a solution, since "buying and selling are supposed to be based on free will."
Qiu Baochang, a Beijing-based lawyer, said the sellers were violating consumer rights. So long as the ratings are true and objective, consumers have the right to make their own judgements, he said.
If it evolves into an unspoken rule, it could harm fair trade and the overall growth of the online shopping industry, he warned.
