# Ghost Orders

The Ghost in the Machine: 58.com’s Desperate Pivot and the Decay of China’s Classifieds Giant

58.com, formerly China’s dominant classifieds platform, is facing a crisis as 'ghost order' scandals and police investigations highlight a desperate attempt to monetize user data. The company has lost over 60% of its peak revenue and halved its workforce as specialized competitors render its generalist, lead-selling model obsolete.