PETALING JAYA: Malaysians are now more trusting of online stores, with an increase in the purchase of premium and branded goods.
Shopee regional managing director Ian Ho said the company has seen growing confidence in purchase of items above RM3,000 with top sellers including laptops and kitchen appliances
“This shift is reflected in what users are searching for and buying on the platform.”
From April onwards, the most popular keywords on Shopee are iPhones, laptops, washing machines and smart TVs. Bestsellers include Apple MacBook Pro, Bosch Built-in Dishwashers and Delonghi Coffee Machines.”
Ho said the increase in sales was due to systems put in place to protect buyers.
“These changes are driven by policies and features on the platform such as the 100% authenticity guarantee provided by Shopee Mall that comes with a two-time money back guarantee if the product is found to be fake, along with a 15-day free return policy,” he said.
“Our Preferred Sellers tag identify sellers that uphold a high level of service with a shop rating of over 4.7 stars, high chat rate and only sell products that are 100% authentic
“Every purchase made on Shopee is also protected by the Shopee Guarantee policy which withholds payment to sellers in escrow until buyers confirm that goods have been received, are genuine, and in good condition.”
Ho also noted rural buyers are also increasingly heading online for their needs.
“The use and familiarity with e-commerce accelerated rapidly in the outskirts of Perlis, Kedah, Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan,” he said.
Meanwhile, tech enabler Grab said it is prioritising user experience and customer satisfaction across all its services, including its online stores.
A Grab spokesman told theSun it has adopted a hyperlocal approach to ensure that the company’s efforts remain relevant to the community at large.
“Examples of these include a number of initiatives which were introduced throughout the movement control order period such as the onboarding of local wet markets through our Pasar on GrabMart initiative,” he said.
A study by social research agency Blackbox Research and consumer intelligence platform Toluna showed 59% of Malaysians polled are spending more online in the wake of Covid-19.
The total online spending of the average Malaysian consumer also increased by 33%.
