Review on a local, transactional e-commerce site

SHOPPY.COM.MY is a guide to Malaysian Online Shops. In colloq, Shoppy.com.my is abounding with shops. The objective of Shoppy.com.my is to provide a reliable and trustworthy platform for online shoppers and web stores to connect with each other.

First of all, I noticed that this e-commerce site has its own logo as shown above. The fundamental of a successful site is the site has its own logo to identify and easily remember by customers. On the other hand, An ‘S’ is in a shopping plastic bag, which clearly signify that “this is an online shop”. Also, logo conveys us that Shoppy.com.my is a web store directory.

Furthermore, Shoppy.com.my contains a few tabs or links to another section in the homepage, such as clothes for kids, baby girl clothing, clothing shopping, diamond jewelry and baby shower. It also provides a search engine that navigates users over the site which squeezes various categories such as computing, health care, pets and the like. Following is the screenshot from the site:

A title “Recently Listed Malaysian Online Shops” gives a reference to the users regard to the latest popular websites visited by users has included Shoppy.com.my. Consumers can identify the latest information in fashion, entertainment, jewelry and etc. Therefore, consumers will be attracted to Shoppy.com.my. Moreover, new product will be announced throughout the site timely. Online Offers, Promotion Codes, Sales and Events also posted in the site.

When the item is being selected or clicked, detail information about the item will be shown without having the information seeking hassle. It provides the important details such as the payment, delivery area, delivery options, product description (features and screenshots). It also shows the preference rate ranking by the customers Yet, we cannot entirely rely on the rate because it is not certified.

http://www.shoppy.com.my/

Corporate Blogging: A new marketing communication tool for companies

The Webster's dictionary defines a Web log as "a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page." Blogs are subscribed by millions of users and even companies nowadays are looking beyond to blogging as communication media with stakeholders. It has said to be ‘the revolutionary new way to increase sales, build your brand and get exceptional’ (Wright.J).

The reasons are:

1. It encourages dynamic communication with customers

Interaction with customers can build trust of them towards company. When the company posts its information or shares their knowledge informally, customers will be more attracted to comment or reply to it. Therefore, employees deal with those comments or replies appropriately to those comments or replies will strengthen relationship between company and customers and build a trust in between. Besides that, vibrant interaction with recent customers can attract prospective customers. As blogs is conducted informally, bloggers (prospective customers) interested in the discussion topic are tend to attracted to actively participate and view company’s blogs pages. Hence, they are exposed to more company’s information if visit company’s blogs regularly.

2. Allows real-time communication with customers.

Blogs post can be reaching to each others right after it is published depends only on participants decide whether to delay responses. Company can get and give responses to and from customers instantaneously. These have increased the communication volume and thus mutual mindset could be created throughout the conversations. If response via e-mail, the process takes more steps and contain time lag which will discourage the participation of customers.

3. It offers a more open medium of communication.

A blog is the time of one person, jotting down his or her thoughts. Participants can voice out their thinking about company or their surrounding through blog post. For example if company intends to test the marketability of its new product, introducing through blog post and getting feedback from customers are valuable to determine the performance of the new product in market. Besides that, feedbacks also generate a space of advancement for that particular product or other products of company.

In order to attract participants attention, a blog should be interesting and informative corporate blogs such as Dell, Coca-cola and Nokia.

Related articles:

the pros and cons of corporate blogging
10 ways to boost the value of your blog
survey on trustworthtiness of corporate blog
10 rules for effective corporate blogging


Reference :

Halvorson.C. (2008,october). Minding your biz: should your company have a blog? New Hampshire Business Review. Retrieved July 11, 2009, from ProQuest database.

A review on a post on Legal from My E-Commerce blog

Beside computer, mobile devices such as mobile phone, has become another new mean for cyber crime. In June 2007, Digi subscribers had been attacked by SMS scam. Subscribers had been informed that their simcard has won RM 15,000 in cash and reload credit of RM 250 from a Digi contest. They were required to call a foreign 15 digits phone number in order to get their prizes. In the following month, Maxis subscribers had experienced the similar SMS scam. After the incident, both companies had alerted their subscribers to ignore these SMS and urged the public not to fall to these prey.

One year later, fake SMS messages purported from Shell Malaysia were being circulated around the country. In July 2008, Shell had reminded the public to ignore the messages as the company did not use text messages to communicate with its contest winners. This has proven that the situation has not been improved even after 1 year SMS spam had been discovered.

Recently, it has reported that money in Maybank account was transferred without the knowledge of the account holders who don’t even apply for PIN for transferring of fund via Internet banking facility. It was found that the account holders had disclosed their account information to others upon receiving a message stating that their simcards won a lucky draw worth RM15, 000 from Power Root Sdn Bhd and required receivers to dial a phone number.

Today, similar SMS spam still circulates around our country. As we can see that what the companies do are announcing and alerting the public of the threat instead of any action taken. Nevertheless, this is not adequate. New policies and strategies should be implemented to prevent this type of threat from occurring again as prevention is better than cure.

References:

http://blog.thestar.com.my/permalink.asp?id=24587

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/14/nation/18303050&sec=nation

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/25/nation/21916194&sec=nation

- E-government in Malaysia:Its Implementation So Far and Citizen's Adoption Strategies -

Overview of E-government in Malaysia

Malaysia is an advanced country in its transition to e-government, taking 15th place in the“E Government Ranking 2007”issued by Waseda University.

The portal site for the national government and residents, “myGovernment” (Malaysian Government Public Service Portal), was launched in 2005. This site aims at advancing the online services utilizing the Internet as well as integrating the online services that were offered independently by each government office in the past, into one portal site. Users can acquire an ID by registering and then they have the option to customize a page called “myHome”. Also, at the “Messaging Center”, they can go through procedures with government offices or agencies and exchange e-mail on the portal site. At the “Voting Center”, they can reply to various questionnaires and view the results. E-transaction allows users to search for online services and necessary documents, and also to use the “eDocument Center” which offers a storage service for saving various documents such as those that have been downloaded.

Implementation of E-commerce in Malaysia

The Malaysian Administrative Modernization and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) is in charge of promoting e-government in Malaysia, and is tackling numerous projects such as the following:

1. Project Monitoring System (SPP II) - It focuses on the importance of project monitoring to ensure projects are completed as scheduled within the allocated budget and meeting their objectives and evaluation. Its objective is to support and monitor the entire life cycle of Malaysia’s five-year development programmes.
2. Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS) - It help to standardize human resource processes for federal, state, statutory body and local authority services and provide transactional function such as leave application, loan processing, competency management, recruitment and selection of employees.
3. Generic Office Environment (GOE) - It's a powerful document and office management solution that enables users to effectively and efficiently manage their office environment. It is fully web-based and has been customized based on local developed package.
4. Electronic Procurement (EP) - E-procurement is a way of using the Internet to make it easier, faster, and less expensive for businesses to purchase the goods and services they require in order to streamline the purchasing process and therefore, businesses can focus more management time on earning revenue and serving customers.
5. Electronic Services (E-Services) - It allows Malaysian to engage in transaction and utility payment such as telephone and electricity bill, police summons, Road and Transport Department ( RTD ) services via multi channel service delivery such as the internet and kiosk machines.
6. Electronic Labour Exchange (ELX) - It matches jobs to people and people to jobs.
7. E-Syariah - E-syariah is the 7th project under the Electronic Government flagship application of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC). It's a case management system that integrates the processes related to management of cases for the Syariah Courts to improve the quality services of the Syariah Courts.

The Citizen's Adoption Strategies

Citizens are expecting and demanding the governmental services with a high degree of quality, quantity, and availability in a 24-hour currently. Therefore, governments all over the world are developing information systems and electronic services that have the capacity to meet the citizen’s needs and demands. The ease of use, compatibility, and trustworthiness are significant factors that affecting the citizens’ intention to use the e-services.

The government should also concern with the accuracy, relevancy and completeness information that provided to the citizens as the successful to implement the E-Government in Malaysia is a significant way to determine the Malaysia’s progress towards the vision 2020.

With the adoption strategies of e-government in Malaysia, it helps to improve the legislation on personal data protection, privacy, and security and thus, the citizen’s private information has been protected. At the same time, it can help to provide e-citizen education, skills and training to every citizen are ready and able to adopt online government services.

Reference Links:

1. http://www1.american.edu/initeb/ym6974a/egovernment.htm


2. http://www.dosite.go.jp/e/differ/elec_gov/MyGovernment.html


3. http://www.mscmalaysia.my/topic/12073046901815


4. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/5/14/nation/3888766&sec=nation