Welcome to the world of Chinese consumer reviews, where fakes lurk round every corner and a “water army” can torpedo e-commerce businesses
On a Sunday evening in a shopping mall in Beijing, Dazhong Dianping sinks yet another restaurant’s chances of gaining Chen Xin’s business. “I said to my boyfriend, ’Are you sure we should eat here? It’s only got 4.1 [out of 5]…with many negative reviews saying the food is poor. Maybe we should find another place,’” Chen tells TWOC, indicating the unlucky Thai restaurant’s review score on the app.
The Shady World of Chinese Online Reviews is a story from our issue, “After the Factory.” To read the entire issue, become a subscriber and receive the full magazine. Alternatively, you can purchase the digital version from the App Store.
Ji Jingjing is a freelancer and a former intern at The World of Chinese. She mainly writes on Chinese culture, history and society. As a movie fanatic, she’s passionate about sharing her reviews with TWOC readers.
