Things to take note to prevent e-auction fraud when a consumer participating in an e-auction

E-auction fraud is a growing epidemic worldwide, as online shopping has grown significantly every year that online shopping has been available.Most e-auction fraud cases involve straightforward scams where consumers allegedly win merchandise by being the highest bidder. All sounds good until they send the payment and never receive the merchandise.Sometimes auction fraud cases involve slick descriptions that are presented and worded in a way that most people would miss important details.

Types of e-auction frauds:-

1. Bid shielding is the practice of placing a low bid in an auction online and having a second person enter a bid that is high enough to get other bidders to drop out or not even bid. Then at the last second, the high bid is retracted and the low bid wins.

2. Misleading descriptions where sometimes descriptions include too much flowery language or omit important details.

3. A fake photo is where almost every listing has a picture of the item with it. Dishonest sellers will put up a misleading photo or even a photo of a different item.

It is important for users to know how to protect themselves from these frauds. The followings are several steps in protecting yourself against e-auction fraud:

1. Feedback forum
It set up a forum to allow the buyers and sellers to build up their online trading reputations. It also provides users with the ability to comment on their experiences with others. All the information and history of any sellers could be acquired through the forum. Review the feedback rating for the seller, and use common sense; if the seller has a history of negative feedback, then the participants do not bid with the particular seller.

2. Escrow Service
Is a licensed and regulated company acted as an independent third party. Buyer mails the payment to escrow services which verifies the payment and alerts the seller when everything checks out.

3. User Verification System
Higher level of verification can be qualify by asked the bidders to offering their IC number, driver’s license number and also date of birth. The voluntary programs encourage users to supply information for online verification.

4. Authentication Service
It is to determine whether an item is genuine and described appropriately. It also very difficult to perform because of their training and experience, experts can detect counterfeits based on subtle detail.

5. Grading services
Is a way to determine the physical condition of an item, such as ‘poor quality’ or ‘mint condition’. Different item have different grading systems. For example, trading cards are graded from A1 to F1, whereas coins are graded from poor to perfect uncirculated.

6. Nonpayment Punishment
To help protect sellers, 1st time nonpayment results in a friendly warning. A sterner warning is issued for a 2nd time offence, a 30 days suspension for a 3rd offence, and indefinite suspension for a 4th offence.

7. Appraisal services
Use a variety of methods to appraise items. It includes expert assessment of authenticity and condition, and reviewing what comparable items have sold for in the marketplace in recent months. An appraised value is usually accurate at the time of appraisal but may change over time as an item becomes more or less popular in the marketplace.

8. Item verification
Is a way of confirm the identity and evaluate the condition of an item. Third parties will evaluate and identify an item through a variety of means. For example, some collectors have their item “DNA tagged” for identification purpose. It provides a way of tracking an item if it charges ownership in future.

9. Physical inspection
It can eliminate many problems especially for collectors’ item. When the seller and buyer are in the same vicinity, it is easy to arrange for such inspections. Ebay offers inspection services on a regional basis, so buyers can arrange for nearby inspections.

10. Insurance policy
eBay offers insurance underwritten by Lloyd's of London. Users are covered up to $ 200, with a $25 deductible. The program is provided at no cost to eBay users. Supplementary insurance is available from companies such as AuctionInsurance.com. At other auction sites, such as Amazon.com/ auction, some insurance is provided, but extra insurance may be added.

Tips for Buyers

1. Identify the seller and check the seller’s feedback rating.

2. Do your homework. Be sure you understand what you’re bidding on, its relative value and all terms and conditions of the sale, including the seller’s return policies and who pays for shipping.

3. Establish your top price and stick to it.

Related article

How to prevent e-auction fraud
http://www.crimcheck.com/background-check-news/whats-internet-auction-fraud-and-how-do-i-prevent-it

How to avoid online auction fraud
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/2002/05/07/yaukey.htm

A warning to auction sites – Pareto is dead
http://leapingcat.wordpress.com/2008/05/10/a-warning-to-auction-sites-pareto-is-dead/

Corporate Blogging: A new marketing communication tool for companies

Corporate blogs are giving established companies and obscure brands alike the ability to connect with their audiences on a more personal level, build trust, collect valuable feedback and foster strengthened business relationships. More importantly, these companies are enjoying tangible returns in their blogging investment in the form of increased sales, partnerships, business opportunities, press coverage and lead generation.

Corporate blog can be very useful for an organization. It can be divided to two types which are internal blog and external blog. An internal blog is normally accessed through the corporation's Intranet. It helps the employees communicate with each others and share their experiences. It also helps the communication between different layers of management. The employees of an organization can exchange their opinion and discuss their expertise which will help in their daily work.

An external blog is a blog that can be view by public. Public can leave their comment in the blog. It is useful for organizations to get the direct feedback from the customers. By using the external corporate blog, companies can communicate with clients, employees, the media, prospective employees or customers. Corporate organizations can even conduct their public relations activities through blogging by posting press releases and updates about new company products and services on the blog. The corporate blog become a platform for the most direct communication between the corporate organizations with outsiders. It will help in building better relationship with customers. Blogging is less formal and customers will fell more comfortable to communicate with the organizations.

Corporate Blogging Risks

1) Negative Comments. Companies are often very sensitive to criticism. Negative comments can be offset somewhat with a consistent and clear comment and moderation policy. Also, most readers tend to trust a site more that includes both positive and negative information.

2) Neglect- Companies need to spend time and incur costs to maintain and update their blogs regularly.

3) Misunderstanding the Audience-The blog audience is not the same as the company’s typical customer base, as blog readers are universally more tech-savvy, up-to-date on industry news, and more passionate about the company’s products and the organization, and also likely to be highly critical of dishonesty or insincerity.

Blogs are basically beneficial to the company if used well, and a menace if used poorly. Therefore, companies which participate in blogging should reduce its risks by managing effectively with the correct corporate blogging strategy to the benefit of their companies.

Five Tips to Succeed Corporate Blogging, which is available at http://blog.planetdomain.com
1.Plan Ahead and Post Regularly
2.Be Original and Fresh
3.Personality Counts
4.Social Media Means “Social”
5.Write Well, or Find Someone Who Can

Top 10 Corporate Blog Rankings

#10: The Otter Group

#9: English Cut

#8: SunBelt Software

#7: GM Fast Lane

#6: Adobe Software

#5: Ask.com

#4: Tom Peters

#3: Yahoo! Search

#2: O’Reilly Radar

#1: Google

(you may click on the link to view the corporate blog)

E-Government in Malaysia: Its implementation so far and citizen's adoption strategies

E-Government is the use of e-commerce to provide access to government information, services and interacts with people to increase efficiency, convenience and accessibility of public sector services to individuals, business partners and its internal operation.

The benefits of launched the e-government is to improve the government operates internally as well as how it delivers services to the people of Malaysia. The implementation of electronic government started with the initiation of Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) by the Malaysian government in 1996. The implementation of e-Government in Malaysia heralds the beginning of a journey of reinventing the government by transforming the way it operate, modernizing and enhancing its service delivery. Simultaneously, it will improve information flow and processes within the government, improve the speed and quality of policy development, and improve coordination and enforcement. This enabled the government to be more responsive to the needs of its citizens.

The Implementation of E-Government in Malaysia

· Electronic Procurement (eP)
The purpose of electronic procurement is to re-engineer, automate, and transform current procurement system. The project would cover central contract, direct purchase and sale of supplies and services through the internet. It provides real time bidding solutions for buyers and sellers that bring an unprecedented level of profitability, control and simplicity to corporate procurement and liquidation processes.

· Project Monitoring System (PMS)
This system is used to monitor the implementation of government’s development projects from the high-level management down to activity levels. This enables government agencies to have a better management and access information.

· Generic Office Environment (GOE)
The purpose is to introduce a fully integrated, distributed and scalable office environment that leverages use of Multimedia information technology. This will enable efficient communication, allowing collaboration across all workers, and ensuring right information reaching the right people in a timely manner.

· Electronic Labour Exchange (ELX)
This project provides a one-stop job search and job advertisement platform for Malaysian jobseekers and employers.

· E-Syariah
E-Syariah provides a case of management structure that integrates the processes related to management cases for the Syariah Court.

· Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS)

This project provides a single interface for government employees to perform human resource functions effectively and efficiency. It also helps to standardize all human resource processes for federal state, statutory body, and local authority services.

· Electronic services (E-Services)
E-services can conduct the transactions with Government agencies, such as the Road Transport Department (RTD) and private utility companies such as Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) through various convenient channels such as the internet. This system can help in solving the traffic jams and queuing problems.

Problems faced by e-government implementation

1. Technological barrier - Lack of technical infrastructure.
2. Lacks of public awareness - public are not aware of the online services that offered.
3. Online behavior – Malaysians remain skeptical on using the electronic transactions especially on online banking about buying and selling from an internet store.


Citizen's Adoption Strategies

E– Services has emerged and become gaining attention and importance for the citizen. Citizens expect and demand governmental services with a high degree of quality, quantity, and availability in a 24-hour. Nowadays, 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 predictors of citizens’ intention to use the e-services. The government should also concern with the accuracy, relevancy and completeness information that provided to the citizens. Beside that, the successful of implement the E-Government in Malaysia is a way to determine Malaysia’s progress towards the vision 2020. With adoption the strategies of e-government in Malaysia, it can help to improve the legislation on personal data protection, privacy, and security that can protect citizen’s private information. In others way, it can help to provide e-citizen education, skills and training to every citizen are ready and able to adopt online government services.

Blooming.com

Blooming Florist become more famous in Malaysia for the past twenty two years. It started the business in 1981 and managed by May and Martin Cheah. They provide floral fresh cut flowers for all occasions such as Roses, Tulips, Gerberas, Lilies and Heliconias. They also provide services like fruit baskets, hampers, gifts, cakes and candies to the customers. Blooming Florist has six retail outlets that links with 75,000 florists worldwide through its membership in Interflora Pacific Unit Limited. Their commitment is to provide QUALITY FLOWERS and QUALITY SERVICE to the customers.

Besides that, packages are provided by following seasonal and each cultural festival. All can search from blooming.com.my. Foreign customer can purchase flower via blooming florist or interflora because blooming florist is one of the member of Interflora and the delivery is provided globally which show in blooming florist website.

From the website of Blooming Florist, there also have icons of ‘shop by products’ and ‘shop by occasions’. It makes the customers to shop the website in more convenient way. Under the ‘shop by occasions’ category, there have occasions such as ‘happy birthday’, ‘wedding’ and ‘new baby’.


To order any of the items, you will just have to click on the picture of the item or the 'order now' button and it will lead you to a form as shown below:


After filling in the details, just click the 'add to shopping cart' button and the following box would appear:

Here, you can update or delete the items that you have added to the shopping cart. Besides that, there are certain products available as add ons to the flowers or packages.


When you have finished shopping, just click the check out button to purchase the items. Furthermore, if you are not happy with the arrangement of flowers or other products, you can also ask them to customize the product for you.

Customer can pay for the purchases thru online credit card payment, online banking, mobile payment, pay using Kawanku ATM, open bill payment and also cash payment in their retail outlet.