Unhappy buyers

THE National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC) received a whopping 15,333 reports on online shopping cases in the last two years.

With losses amounting to over RM6mil, online shopping topped the centre’s list of complaints received in 2014 and 2015, reveals its legal and policy senior manager Shabana Naseer Ahmad.

“The number of complaints jumped and the amount of losses more than doubled from 2014 to last year,” she adds.

More issues are emerging as e-commerce grows. Risk is certain as business is being conducted with products they’ve never touched and money paid to people they’ve never seen, the Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Ministry notes.

From 2013 to date, over 7,000 Internet transaction scams were lodged with the ministry’s e-Aduan System.

This year alone, the ministry has acted against seven online retailers selling counterfeit luxury brands. And, from January to July, a total of 113 websites were either blocked or had their illegal content removed, the ministry shares in an e-mail response.

“Almost 70% of Malaysian buyers are influenced by reviews and over 60% are likely to buy from offshore online retailers,” it adds.

The rising complaints, Shabana says, show that shoppers are moving online.

It’s a trend of modern living. Consumers are very comfortable buying online, she adds. You can get better quality items at cheaper prices with just a click. It saves time, money and energy, as you’re spared from having to brave traffic jams and the hassle of looking for parking. And, there are more choices and comprehensive product information available online, she says.

But, while there are benefits to online shopping, consumers should also be wary as chances of being scammed are very high. There are also cons to online shopping that consumers should consider.

These include difficulties in identifying legit sites and clearing the air if there’s miscommunication, inability to inspect or try the items before buying, and the uncertainty over how repairs are handled and the hefty cost of shipping it back to the online store.

“Also, if you’re an impatient person, waiting for the product to be delivered can be a pain.”