Alibaba says to lower entry barriers, business costs of merchants

Reuters2021-04-12

SHANGHAI, April 12 (Reuters) - Alibaba Group will introduce measures to lower entry barriers and business costs faced by merchants on e-commerce platforms, CEO Daniel Zhang said on Monday, after an antitrust probe found the firm had abused its dominant market position.

China on Saturday imposed a record 18 billion yuan ($2.75 billion) fine on Alibaba amid a crackdown on technology conglomerates, signalling a new era after years of laissez-faire approach.

The e-commerce giant has come under intense scrutiny since billionaire founder Jack Ma's public criticism of the Chinese regulatory system in October.

The State Administration for Market Regulation $(SAMR.SI)$ said it had determined Alibaba, which is listed in New York and Hong Kong, had prevented its merchants from using other online e-commerce platforms.

The group does not expect any material impact on its business from the change of exclusivity arrangement imposed by regulators, Zhang said in an online briefing.

Alibaba and its peers remain under review for mergers and acquisitions from the market regulator, Vice Chairman Joe Tsai told the briefing, adding he was not aware of any other anti-monopoly-related investigations.

The impact of the regulator's fine on Alibaba will be reflected in the group's net income in the March quarter, Chief Financial Officer Maggie Wu said.

($1 = 6.5522 Chinese yuan)

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Comments

  • UTOtrader
    2021-04-12
    UTOtrader
    Get discipline by the authority, sell take profit$
  • DesmondChin
    2021-04-12
    DesmondChin
    Good, reduce the uncertainties and follow the rules
  • WeiweiWei
    2021-04-12
    WeiweiWei
    Can go for Alibaba? 
  • kid26
    2021-04-12
    kid26
    Great that alibaba is complying to the law. Hope the stock price will recover
  • ctanya
    2021-04-12
    ctanya
    Usually after lawsuit clears, price will go up. Market hates uncertainty. Now there's less uncertainty $Alibaba(BABA)$$Alibaba(09988)$
  • Silverlitz
    2021-04-12
    Silverlitz
    Hope Baba can put this anti competition episodebehind them now
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