The NDRC also had some concerns with Etao.com, a major price comparison website here in China. During the August price war, Etao compared product prices and indicated that retailers may have hiked prices before discounts to give the illusion of bigger savings.
The NDRC went through the results Etao released to media, and found some were not accurate. Etao.com is operated by e-commerce giant, Alibaba group. Alibaba-owned Tmall.com did NOT take part in the price war.
August’s price war not only created buzz among retailers, but also among consumers, regulators, and China's ever-active internet community. Here's how these extraordinary events unfolded.