For a long time, the quality of products made in China has been worrying and has flooded the international market. However, there are signs indicating that this situation is worsening, with Chinese companies engaging in vicious competition. The cycle of low prices not equating to good quality continues to prevail.
Recently, a blogger recorded a video testing a power strip, warning Taiwanese buyers who often search for cheap deals on Taobao or Pinduoduo to pay more attention to quality and risks.
The video featured a multi-functional power strip requested by a fan for testing. The promotional advertisement claimed that a similar one would cost 50 to 60 yuan outside, but at the source factory, it was only 20 yuan. It boasted a high power output of 2500w, thickened inner wire core, pressure and freeze-resistant exterior, durable and resistant to falls, with 5 sockets and 16 holes to plug in multiple devices.
The blogger purchased the power strip for 4.99 yuan. The testing revealed it was a product lacking in quality, and after testing, the blogger exclaimed, “It’s completely junk, a fighter jet in the world of rubbish!”
In the video, the blogger demonstrated that the wire easily snapped with a slight pull, the outer rubber peeled off, the inner core looked like copper wire but burnt to reveal it was aluminum wire; the grounding wire was non-existent, and the socket’s casing was extremely thin, the copper pieces inside were thin and easily turned white when scraped, revealing they were made of aluminum.
According to national regulations, such products must use flame-retardant materials. The blogger lit a flame using a lighter on the power strip, which quickly caught fire. Instead of being flame-retardant, it turned out to be highly flammable.
Low-quality power strips have always posed a significant safety hazard in households. The blogger urged everyone that safety cannot be compromised, and they should report and complain about the seller until their business is shut down.
After watching the video of the substandard power strip, the original online store owner, Mr. Li, told reporters that items on platforms like Pinduoduo and Taobao often have mediocre quality. Cheap food might be close to expiry but still edible due to its low price; while items such as power strips might be of substandard quality, usable for a few times before breaking down, or classified as seconds or thirds with defects. However, the extreme low-quality items are relatively minimal, and significant incidents rarely occur.
Mr. Li, who previously operated a nut food business on Pinduoduo for years, mentioned that the key to quality assurance lies in whether the seller has integrity. The relentless competition, driven by greed and malice, has created a vicious cycle where low prices equate to low quality.
He revealed that starting an online store was straightforward, requiring a payment of one thousand yuan, uploading identification and a business license. One business license could open five stores, and obtaining a business license is relatively easy and cost-free for individual businesses. In theory, one could operate countless stores.
If customers complain about quality issues, and the store’s rating decreases, the seller would open a new store without hesitation, disregarding the loss of the initial investment as it had been earned back already. The platforms turn a blind eye to these practices, only imposing minimal fines unless a significant violation occurs.
“In China, it’s a scheme where everyone scams everyone else, causing mutual harm. Chinese people are truly in a difficult situation, with unhealthy food, products, and even unhealthy thoughts. Everything is unhealthy,” Mr. Li expressed.
Regarding recent observations, a netizen named Zheng mentioned revisiting old advertisements from reputable companies that once held high standards for quality products. Despite some subpar products existing back then, society’s attitude towards them was not tolerant.
“Now, it’s considered a badge of honor to cut corners, like in the electric vehicle industry, prioritizing aesthetics and novelty over safety, with companies shamelessly boasting innovation. Overall, the nation has adopted the shell of a market economy but lost the core of honesty and integrity. Perhaps this was lost post-1949,” Zheng remarked.
With the robust logistics network on the mainland, these low-quality products are exported overseas, mingling with legitimate goods. Initially, sensitive items handled by the postal service included those with electricity, magnetism, liquids, powders, but now, items like clothing, shoes, food, cosmetics, speakers, pens, Bluetooth speakers, watches, and communication devices are also considered sensitive products due to consolidation transport, using different containers to reduce customs inspections.
“If flagged during customs checks, an entire shipment could be confiscated. Among the most frequently detained items are food products,” a logistics insider informed the newspaper.
Recently, Ms. Wang made purchases of daily essentials online and encountered quality issues with the received products, necessitating several return requests. For instance, some clothes had materials different from what was advertised, lacking brand tags; bamboo bookshelves had flimsy construction incapable of bearing weight; and the garbage bags were thin, prone to tearing easily. After honest feedback, the aforementioned products were removed from the platform.
Social observer, Hua Ying, emphasized in an interview that many products made in China are counterfeit, involving fraudulent practices. For instance, inmates in prison factories are paid meager wages per month, producing down jackets at a cost of just a dozen yuan. Flooding the global market with cheap products disrupts market stability, engaging in global price wars that legitimate businesses cannot combat.
It was previously reported that in Guangzhou’s largest garment manufacturing village, Kang Le, domestic orders had significantly declined, with products mainly sold on platforms like Shein. An industry expert analyzed that aside from high return rates during live streaming and factors like unseasonable weather, poor quality stood out as a primary issue. Without inspection, once the product was made, all other aspects became negligible, with speed being the sole advantage.
“Internal competition among Chinese enterprises permeates every sector. Businesses prioritize maximizing profits, engaging in predatory competition, leading to market chaos. The entire industry chain, whether upstream or downstream, has descended into disarray. Eventually, there will be no quality products left; genuinely good products come from international brands based abroad,” Hua Ying remarked, explaining the negative consequences of malicious competition manifesting in counterfeit products, internal conflicts, and self-inflicted harm.
“Why are counterfeit cigarettes, alcohol, and food rampant in China? The Chinese government is corrupt and permits such massive production once bribed. For instance, the tobacco sold in China significantly exceeds the documented quantity produced, prevalent in many regions. I know several producers specifically making counterfeit cigarettes and alcohol; the market is flooded with fake products. Events like recycled cooking oil and toxic milk powder are left unaddressed, and the government often retaliates against whistleblowers,” Hua Ying revealed.
Reflecting on the 70s and 80s, Hua Ying recalled that people were more genuine back then, living in a healthy environment with unpolluted air, leading healthy lives. The environment has since deteriorated, ecologically and health-wise, with various ailments on the rise. “Many people nowadays have corrupt hearts beyond redemption, posing the biggest disaster. Once moral decay sets in, society will descend into chaos,” he concluded.