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Academic Journal of Business & Management, 2026, 8(2); doi: 10.25236/AJBM.2026.080201.

Research on the Fairness Dilemma and Governance Strategies of E-commerce Return Services from the Perspective of Algorithmic Discrimination

Author(s)

Song Xinyi

Corresponding Author:
Song Xinyi
Affiliation(s)

Business School, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China

Abstract

With the widespread application of algorithms in the e-commerce industry, the fairness dilemmas caused by algorithms have become increasingly prominent. This paper analyzes the application, formation reasons, and impacts of algorithmic discrimination in e-commerce return services. The study finds that through functions such as risk prediction and permission control, algorithms generate discriminatory decisions in links including return pricing, user permission management, and after-sales review, posing triple challenges to consumers' legitimate rights and interests, platform trust, and social equity. In response to the above status quo, this paper constructs a governance framework from three dimensions: technological improvement, institutional regulation, and ethical construction, proposing paths such as adopting fair algorithms, establishing algorithmic auditing mechanisms, and improving regulatory accountability systems to jointly promote fair algorithmic decisions in return services.

Keywords

Algorithmic Discrimination, E-commerce Platforms, Returns, Fairness Dilemma

Cite This Paper

Song Xinyi. Research on the Fairness Dilemma and Governance Strategies of E-commerce Return Services from the Perspective of Algorithmic Discrimination. Academic Journal of Business & Management (2026), Vol. 8, Issue 2: 1-7. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJBM.2026.080201.

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