Malaysia is one of the fastest-growing online markets in the ASEAN region. Malaysians use the internet extensively for news, research, social networking and online shopping. With 19 million people online we have the highest penetration of online shoppers supporting a RM25 billion business which is poised to double by the year 2020. However, are all online shoppers prepared to swim in an ocean infested with sharks?
Ecommerce is on the rise owing to several advantages such as the convenience of shopping online, price advantages, exclusive deals and availability of reviews. Booking of airline tickets, hotel rooms, cinema tickets, payment for utility bills, transaction with government agencies and banking have all gone online. Consumers making transactions with such sites or popular online shopping sites seldom face any issues, provided they follow proper procedures and don’t get conned by phishing sites.