CNBC AI News, August 17 – Laifen’s CEO recently took to Weibo, China’s answer to Twitter, to publicly call out a former employee, stirring up a digital dust storm, according to media reports.
The drama unfolded on August 16th when Laifen CEO, Ye Hongxin, reposted a video review by the tech blogger @楼斌Robin, adding a pointed question: “Looks like there’s some tea to spill! Laifen’s shaver losing to Flyco? We’ll be responding to this point by point.” The “tea” alludes to industry gossip or inside information.
“We’re going to dissect how these so-called independent and objective third-party review agencies operate and what their fees are. Getting paid isn’t the issue; lacking conscience is.” This strongly suggests allegations of biased and paid-for reviews.
Responses online have been mixed, with some users voicing support for Ye’s stance against what they perceive as biased media.
Ye clarified in the comments section, “The reason I call it ‘tea’ is not because I’m targeting 楼斌, but his brother, Pan Jian, who is a former Laifen employee.” This reveals that the dispute is more personal than purely about product reviews, potentially impacting the objectivity of the review.
He continued, stating that he respects 楼斌’s disassembly videos and has often watched them but that in this specific case, the product’s internal construction was “too unsightly” to be fully disassembled and reviewed fairly.
Several commentators expressed a general distrust of third-party reviews, particularly those from high-profile influencers.
To this, Ye responded: “Reviews, in themselves, are not the problem. It’s a win-win when media and self-media help companies promote and recommend quality products to users, empowering consumers to make informed decisions. Laifen also invests in media outreach, but the content output must be based on facts.” This underscores a growing concern about transparency and ethical conduct in influencer marketing, a lucrative but often murky area in China’s e-commerce landscape.
Early this morning, Ye Hongxin further elaborated on Weibo, detailing specific issues with his former employee, Pan Jian.
According to Ye, Pan Jian joined Laifen “zero-entry,” implying that he didn’t bring any capital to the table. He also stated that Laifen’s investors were not affiliated with Pan and that investors found Pan’s presence a potential hindrance to securing further funding. This paints a picture of a strained relationship and potential conflicts of interest.
Ye acknowledged Pan Jian’s contributions to Laifen’s new media operations, for which he received ¥5 million. However, Ye also accused Pan of colluding with internal Laifen employees to quote the company ¥500,000 (already received) for a first-phase, zero-cost content collaboration, leading to the termination of their partnership upon discovery. These are serious allegations that could have legal and financial repercussions.
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