Call for an organisation to verify genuine online sellers and prevent scams

There is a growing need for an organization to review items sold online before they are purchased by customers and verify whether the sellers are genuine or not, according to Vodafone Fiji’s Head of E-commerce, Shailendra Prasad.

He highlighted that there has been an increase in people selling online since the coronavirus pandemic, and that some online businesses do not exist, as they create fake businesses to lure people into buying items that they do not deliver.

This has led to complaints from customers who receive faulty or substandard goods.

“People need to understand that some of the fake businesses online disappear from the scene with thousands of dollars,” he said.

To address this issue, Mr Prasad suggests that an agency be set up, either through the Ministry of External Trade or a relevant authority, to accredit businesses that sell online and provide a checklist of who the business is and where they are operating.

This would help build trust between consumers and businesses selling items or goods online, and provide people with confidence when making online purchases.

Vodafone Fiji already vets businesses before adding them to its online retail service, the Vitikart, and businesses that receive more than two complaints of shady dealings are taken off the platform.

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development specialist, Dominic Leong, highlights that many consumers in the Pacific are not yet familiar with online purchasing and tend not to buy items online because they are uncertain whether they will get the exact item.

However, for businesses to open up to more markets, they need to engage in e-commerce. It is important to educate the public about these new modes of doing business, strengthen policies and return policies, and instill trust between consumers and businesses selling online.