KUCHING: Online buying has become an important part of many people’s lives. Virtual stores allow people to shop from the comfort of their homes without the pressure of a salesperson and online marketplaces provide a new and more convenient venue for the exchange of virtually all types of goods and services.
New Sarawak Tribune managed to interview some locals and asked their opinions about online buying.
For Zarina Abdullah, 28, she preferred online buying because the price is much cheaper compared to direct purchase in local stores.
“I only buy items from trusted website sellers, usually recommended by my friends or I find it myself, and my favourite online shopping website is Lazada.
“So far, the service has been very good and the item received was also in excellent condition,” she said, added her favourite shopping items were gadgets.
Zarina added, she would continue to buy online in the future because it is very convenient and
trustworthy.
Meanwhile, Nornasheila Ahmad Zaidi, 28, disclosed that she preferred buying online because it is a more convenient way to shop.
“I prefer online shopping because I don’t have to be stuck in the traffic jam to go to shopping malls and I don’t have to get caught up in long queue at the payment counter.
“My online shopping tips are first, search for trusted website sellers only and second, for Instagram, I would look for an account (seller) that has many followers- as it indicates that the online seller is reliable,” she explained.
Her favourite online shopping websites are Mysale and Instagram, either recommended by her friends or she finds it herself.
“Usually, I buy clothes and health supplements, and I would continue to buy online if the items cannot be found in local stores,” said Nornasheila, adding so far, the service and the condition of items received were very good.
For 31-year-old government servant, Mat Kimon Mulin, he stated that he never bought online because he preferred to look for the items he wanted at the local stores.
“If the item I look for is not available at the local stores, then I would probably buy online,” said Kimon.
He added, he preferred to buy directly from the local stores because he can see for himself and ensure the quality of an item.
Meanwhile, a 30-year-old wedding planner, Zah Idris, disclosed that she loved to buy online because of her busy schedule.
“I don’t have much time to go shopping in the local stores because my schedule is packed every day,” she said.
Zah added that her favourite online shopping website is Shoppe which was recommended by her friend.
“At Shoppe, there are a lot of items that can be found- from clothes to daily needs, everything is in Shoppe!
“I also prefer online shopping because most of the items (especially shoes), sold in some local stores do not have my size.
“In terms of service and quality, most of the items I bought are in good condition and the delivery is also fast. But, if the item I wanted is out of stock, then I have to wait up to two months,” she pointed out.
Zah added, she would continue to buy online because it is more convenient way to shop, especially if the items she wants are not available in the local stores.
She also advised the public wanting to buy online to search carefully for the online sellers and only buy from trusted website sellers.
In conclusion, buying online can be very convenient and rewarding but you must always protect yourself.
The main benefit is you can save time, travelling cost, waiting in a queue for the payment and you can get large range of products to choose from and at the best prices.
But, if you don’t feel 100 per cent secure on a particular site, leave it and find something else. Also make sure your computer is well protected before you begin any transaction that involves sensitive information.
There are a lot of scams on the Internet that can negatively affect your money, so be proactive in your research to get the most out of shopping online.
Another point to consider is how repairs are handled on the products being purchased. It might be easier to return a faulty product to the local store for repair, rather than going through the trouble and expense of shipping it back to an online store.
