Guan Cha Zhe Wang·2025-10-30 09:47Core Viewpoint - The incident involving Midea Group and JD.com regarding alleged price violations and a fine of 5 million yuan has sparked significant industry attention and debate over e-commerce platform competition and pricing strategies [1][3][8] Group 1: Incident Overview - A rumor circulated that JD.com fined Midea Group 5 million yuan for price violations, claiming Midea's prices were significantly higher than those on other platforms [1] - Midea Group quickly denied these allegations, stating that the information circulating online was false [2] - JD.com insiders indicated that the rumors stemmed from its pricing policy, which requires that prices on its platform cannot exceed those on other platforms, aiming to maintain competitive pricing for consumers [3] Group 2: Responses from Involved Parties - JD.com has issued a denial of the rumors, asserting that the "two-choice" concept has been misused and does not accurately reflect its pricing strategy [3] - Douyin's e-commerce representatives claimed that JD.com's actions, such as restricting merchants from using promotional coupons on Douyin, constitute a violation of fair market competition principles [4] - Industry insiders have pointed out discrepancies in claims about the absence of related news on other platforms, suggesting that the narrative may be skewed [5] Group 3: Legal and Regulatory Perspectives - Legal experts have noted that JD.com's pricing control policies do not directly limit merchants' channel choices, distinguishing them from traditional "two-choice" practices [6] - However, concerns remain regarding whether JD.com's penalties could be interpreted as a form of indirect coercion, potentially leading to regulatory scrutiny [6][7] - The incident has prompted discussions about the boundaries of competition among e-commerce platforms, particularly in light of the upcoming "Double Eleven" shopping festival [8]