State Of Online Shopping In Malaysia And Singapore

The 90s was a golden era for the predictions of the future especially in the dot-com. It was hoped that the brick and mortar stores will be obsolete in another 15-20 years. In other words, it was predicted that consumers will shop in the comfort of your room without having to leave their homes or in their pajamas. Well, we're almost near the bar 15 years and guess where Malaysian and Singapore rose. You're right. We are still waiting for the long-term paths of our supermarkets.

Online shopping has had a stronghold in western countries and continue to grow. Moreover, Malaysia and Singapore are far behind Western countries, including other Asian countries like Japan, Korea and Hong Kong. What are the problems?

Several reasons can be attributed to this lamentable state, whose lack of experience shopping, privacy concerns, security of credit card and other issues normally reported to the lack of growth in online shopping. But there are other reasons that are unique to Malaysia and Singapore only.

1. Shopping is a national pastime: Malaysia and most importantly, love shopping in Singapore. In addition to eating out, shopping is high on your list of favorite leisure activities. But on the other hand, shopping online does not reach any kind of social interaction.
2. Inability to negotiate all Asians love to negotiate. For many Malaysians, Singapore, the purchase is incomplete without negotiation. The buyers here every effort to convince the owner to reduce prices. Many believe that complete their purchases if they could buy products at prices lower than the advertised price. But it will be possible for consumers when buying bargains.
3. Inability to feel the product: The touch of Middle Asia and the smell that most of the products before buying. This is because consumers do not trust what's in the box. Many people want to have it opened and checked, just in front of your eyes. But this is not possible while shopping online.
4. Delay: online stores, Singapore and Malaysia generally does not reflect the current stock position of a product. More than once people comes after a week or two. But customers know that after payment. This is one of the many reasons why buyers in Malaysia and Singapore are cautious about ordering products online.

While many of these blocks identified, but the future is very bleak, as it seems. Here are some key indicators.

1. In recent years the rapid growth in the number of online shops.
2. Many brick and mortar stores now have a web presence.
3. There is a general increase in the number of online buyers.
4. Buyers today are based on Internet research with the product using their purchasing decisions.
5. In the last year or two comparison sites, some prices have increased. This indicates that online shopping in Malaysia and Singapore matures.
6. Internet and broadband connections in Malaysia and Singapore are witnessing a steady growth over the past two years.

As these key indicators suggest, online shopping in Malaysia and Singapore is preparing to grow at very healthy in the coming days. But to achieve the levels of other mature markets, online merchants should be proactive and take all necessary measures to allay the fears of online shoppers.