ArrowArtboardCreated with Sketch.Title ChevronTitle ChevronIcon FacebookIcon LinkedinIcon Mail ContactPath LayerIcon MailPositive ArrowIcon Print
China tech

China targets apps 'bullying' loyal customers with higher price

Big data algorithms single out fans unlikely to flee to competitors

Travelers at Beijing Daxing International Airport. A travel-booking site was told to pay damages to a plaintiff who claimed to have charged a higher price for being a repeat customer.    © Reuters

GUANGZHOU -- China's tech regulators have stepped up their crackdown on so-called customer bullying, a practice among internet companies to charge higher prices to loyal customers unlikely to switch to competitors based on data algorithms.

In a landmark case that pushed the topic to the forefront of the national debate, a district court in Zhejiang Province in July ordered travel booking site Trip.com to pay roughly 4,800 yuan ($745) to a customer for false advertising.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored Content This content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.

Nikkei Asian Review, now known as Nikkei Asia, will be the voice of the Asian Century.

Celebrate our next chapter
Free access for everyone - Sep. 30

Find out more