PETALING JAYA: Priya Nair is 28 and like many her age, she does a lot of shopping online.
Once, she was taken aback when she opened a package.
Instead of the cooking pot she ordered, the package contained a car-washing sponge.
Since the pot was not expensive, she decided not to pursue the matter as she knew it would be a difficult process to get a refund, or even lodge a complaint.
Her experience showed the problems consumers face when buying online or seeking redress.
That is also why many online shoppers are supporting the government’s move to tighten e-commerce rules.
They say stronger safeguards are needed against scams, unsafe products and poor customer service.
Priya said platforms should be required to provide genuine and effective customer support. She also raised concerns over newer forms of online scams, including cases where consumers were told they had applied for loans when they had not.
“Consumers need to be protected,” she said, adding that she had also come across medicines and medical devices being sold online without proper labels.
Executive manager Shirley Tan, 38, also welcomed the government’s move to crack down on unregulated e-commerce platforms, saying consumer safety and protection should take precedence over low prices.
“Some products, especially electrical and electronic goods, food and halal products, need to comply with Sirim, safety or halal standards.
“If there is no proper regulation, consumers may have difficulty seeking compensation or knowing who to hold accountable when things go wrong.
“This is especially true for overseas platforms that are not registered in Malaysia and do not have a local address,” she noted.
Tan said regulation does not necessarily mean restricting online shopping.
“It is about setting basic standards to protect consumers,” she said.
The government has announced that it would begin taking action against unregulated e-commerce platforms following almost 2,000 public complaints involving online scams, questionable halal labels and uncertified electrical and electronic products.
The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) also welcomed the move.
“This is something we have been highlighting for some time,” said its chief executive officer Dr T. Saravanan said.
“Online platforms cannot simply provide a marketplace, collect commissions and facilitate payments, but distance themselves when consumers are scammed or when unsafe, counterfeit or non-compliant products are sold,” he said.
Saravanan said the number of complaints reported is concerning.
“This is not merely an issue of poor service. Unsafe electrical products can cause fires or injuries, while false certification and misleading product information can directly affect consumer safety and trust.
“However, enforcement should not focus only on individual sellers. The platforms themselves must have greater responsibility.
“They should conduct proper seller verification, remove illegal or unsafe products, prevent offenders from reopening accounts, strengthen monitoring of advertisements and listings, and provide effective refund and redress mechanisms,” he added.
He noted that if a platform earns revenue from transactions conducted through its system, it should have a corresponding responsibility to ensure that the marketplace is safe and that sellers comply with Malaysian laws.
