Ten popular e-commerce enterprises pledged on Oct 10 to join an all-out effort to combat counterfeits and shoddy goods on their platforms, making trustworthiness the priority in their businesses to effectively safeguard consumers’ interests.

The enterprises, including e-commerce giants Alibaba and JD, said they would neither mislead consumers by false advertisements and product introductions, nor lure, cheat or threaten consumers to change their feedback after online purchases.

They also said they would not release consumers’ private information or use it illegally.

“We’ve told our online sellers about our promise and have advocated they join us to uphold trust in the e-commerce industry,” said Xing Yue, vice-president of Alibaba’s public relations department, adding that more than 50,000 retailers have joined the campaign.

She said honesty in online sales will be a key word during this year’s Nov 11 shopping gala, adding that untrustworthy sellers will be penalized.

The agreement, initiated by the Cyberspace Administration’s China Federation of Internet Societies, also requires e-commerce service providers to reward trustworthy sellers and punish the dishonest in a timely manner, as well as to increase cooperation and share related data regarding such efforts with each other.

“Being honest is our traditional virtue and a crucial part of core socialist values,” said Zhao Hui, the federation’s secretary-general. “With quick development of the network, how to improve online trust has become more important.”

China was home to 802 million internet users by the end of June.

“When we enjoy online shopping, receive online education and begin online medical care, some dishonest behaviors, such as rumors and fake advertisements, in cyberspace also harm our interests and make the online environment disordered,” Zhao said. “That’s why trust should be addressed constantly and online retailers should join the campaign urgently.”

She said China’s first E-Commerce Law, passed by the country’s top legislature on Aug 31, stressed credibility “while providing e-commerce services as a basic principle”.

Long Baozheng, JD’s vice-president, said the agreement will improve awareness of trust in the operations of e-commerce platforms.

“All third-party online retailers must promise not to cheat consumers if they attempt to conduct business on our platform,” he said.