KUALA LUMPUR, 10 October 2023 - Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, today announced the results of #ShopSafeWithShopee survey that found 9 in 10 Malaysians prefer Shopee for safe online shopping. The survey also found that 8 in 10 Malaysians feel that Shopee provides the best scam support when shopping online.
Factors Influencing Buyers’ Decisions
When selecting a platform for online shopping, the top factor that influences Malaysian buyers is their ability to have safe shopping transactions, such as secure payment methods, clear return and money back policies, authentic/verified products, and great customer service resolutions.
This is especially true for shoppers aged 35 to 49 years old, whereas younger shoppers aged 18 to 34 years old place greater emphasis on the popularity of the platform (assuming if more people use it, it's safe) and the wide assortment of products available.
#ShopSafeWithShopee survey was conducted among 1,000 Malaysian shoppers aged 18 and above. It found that the features that give shoppers the most peace of mind on Shopee are:
- Platform features that allow customers to verify sellers, such as 4-to-5 star store ratings, live demos on Shopee live stream, and seller chat functions (34%)
- Shopee Mall features, such as genuine premium brands, money-back guarantees, and the Authentic Deals Circle (33%)
- Shopee Guarantee, which releases money to sellers only when the customer confirms receipt of goods (29%)
“We are committed to providing our shoppers with a safe and secure online shopping experience,” said Kenneth Soh, Head of Marketing at Shopee Malaysia. “We have a number of initiatives in place to protect our shoppers, including Shopee Guarantee, Shopee Mall, and our dedicated scam support team. We remain committed to building a safe and secure environment for our users for an enjoyable shopping experience.”
Shoppers’ Awareness Levels about Scams
80% of shoppers consider themselves ‘sufficiently knowledgeable’ to ‘very knowledgeable’ about online shopping scams, whereas 20% have encountered situations involving counterfeit purchases, contact from suspicious sellers, or susceptibility to scams. 50% of respondents are worried about data breach (account stolen/hacked, stolen bank details), and 20% are concerned by fake sellers/counterfeit goods.
The survey also found that 30% of survey respondents have been a victim of an online scam in the last year. However, 70% said they were very lucky to avoid being scammed. The majority of those who were scammed were shopping for home and living products, followed by fashion and lifestyle items, and electronics. Both males and females across all age groups were equally susceptible to being a victim – scammers do not discriminate.
Of those who fell victim to scams, 38% reported it to Shopee Chat’s Live Agents to seek timely support. An equal number of respondents also reported to the relevant authorities, namely, the CCID via the Scam Response Center or Infoline, PDRM via SEMAKMULE, and to the National Scam Response Center hotline. 10% posted the experience on social media to inform the public, and 20% do not report these incidences.
How Malaysians Choose Trusted Sellers Online
In addition to the safety features offered by the platform itself, Malaysians also rely on social proof and other buyer endorsements when choosing a seller to buy from online. According to the survey, 7 in 10 respondents said that other buyer endorsements matter, with 33% looking at testimonials and reviews, 24% looking at store ratings, 12% looking at the number of loyal followers of the store, and 4% looking at top sales for the keywords searched.
The remaining buyers surveyed also check seller chat performance, cancellation rates and seller verification such as Shopee Mall, Preferred and Preferred+ tags to pick sellers to buy from
This data suggests that Malaysians value the opinions of other buyers when making online purchases. They are also likely to choose sellers who have been verified by Shopee or who have a good track record of customer service. Social proof matters especially for buyers of Automotive, FMCG, Toys, Kids and Babies, Groceries and Pets, and Home and Living items.