The Trade Competition Commission of Thailand (TCCT) is working to resolve disputes between digital platforms and sellers, aiming to quickly end the conflicts, says secretary-general Visanu Vongsinsirikul.
TCCT has adjusted its working process to be more proactive in solving disputes between digital platform operators and their sellers, instead of waiting for them to file a lawsuit.
This should benefit both parties, Mr Visanu told the Bangkok Post.
On Nov 14, the commission arranged a meeting between the TikTok platform and its online sellers, who have faced problems withdrawing money from its system and disputed the shipping charge.
He said TCCT organised a negotiation so both sides could understand the situation and TikTok could clarify its position, aiming to prevent a lawsuit.
At the meeting, Tiktok representatives said it is a relatively new platform and it plans to look into the complaints case by case.
TCCT suggested TikTok set up channels to receive complaints from vendors, as they said they do not know how to contact the company, said Mr Visanu.
According to a TikTok statement, after offering free delivery for 18 months, on Sept 1, 2023, TikTok Shop began to apply a shipping fee, a standard practice for e-commerce.
Since that date, the platform has noticed a number of cases where miscalculated fees were charged because of inaccurate data for the weight and size of products.
Following a verification process with its logistics providers, TikTok has taken steps to correct the miscalculated fees for orders placed from September to November 2023, noted the statement.
TikTok Shop said it acts in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations, including instructions from Thai local authorities.
In some instances, vendors and creators have been unable to withdraw their money from the platform. These may involve violation of the sales policy, which pauses transactions for further investigation, said TikTok.
After the investigation is finished, the company makes the money available to sellers.
TikTok said its TikTok Seller Centre channel can be used for complaints.
Mr Visanu said this year TCCT investigated collusive pricing behaviour by Lazada and Shopee after their commission fees increased. The fee hike was not deemed as collusive pricing, with the fee rates still acceptable, he said.
Mr Visanu said the commission also probed shipping cases where some sellers complained about being forced to use e-commerce platforms' delivery service, instead of choosing their preferred logistics provider.
