Once in office, purchase officials resorted to the “squeeze” and became money-grabbers in order to realize a profit on their investment. The profit realize from a low post could be used to purchase a higher post. The officials who conducted the purchase system engaged in numerous malpractices. Between 1816 and 1830 over 4,000 sham chien-sheng certificates were issued.
Pro-vincial governors were lax in checking on the merits and demerits of purchase officials.
Many men borrowed from money-lenders in order to purchase rank and posts. Government revenues could thereby be monopolized and manipulated by money-lending shops. Purchase officials were said to have unstable and superficial temperaments and other undesirable traits.