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

Auction is market mechanism by which buyers make bids and sellers place offers. It is characterized by the competitive and dynamic nature by which the final price is reached. Auctions can rapidly disposal of items that needs liquidation or a quick sale, they offer trading opportunities for both buyers and sellers that are not available in conventional channels and they ensure cautious execution of contracts.
Types of auctions are traditional auctions, electronic auctions, dynamic pricing, English auctions, Yankee auctions, Dutch auctions, free-fall auctions, sealed-bid first-price auction and sealed-bid second-price auction. The most popular type of auctions is an electronic auction (e-auctions) which means auctions conducted online.
The largest Internet auctioneer is eBay which has introduced several measures in an effort to reduce fraud. Following are action to prevent e-auction fraud:

1. User identity verification such in IC number, driver’s license number or date of birth. For example, verified eBay user, the voluntary program, encourages users to supply eBay with information for online verification.

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

3. Grading services which 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, while coins are graded from poor to perfect uncirculated.

4. Feedback forum. It allows buyers and sellers to build up their online trading reputations. It provides user with ability to comment on their experiences with other.

5. Insurance policy. For example, eBay offers insurance underwritten, users are covered up to $200, will with a $25 deductible. The program is provided at no cost to eBay user.

6. Escrow services. Both buyers and sellers in a deal are protected with an independent third party. Buyer mails the payment to escrow services which verifies the payment and alerts the seller when everything checks out. An example of a provider of online escrow services s i-Escrow.

7. Non-payment punishment. To protect sellers, a friendly warning for first-time nonpayment. A sterner warning is for second-time offense, with a 30 day suspension for a third offense and an indefinite suspension for a fourth offense.

8. Appraisal services which 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.

9. Item verification which is a way of confirm he 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.

10. Physical inspection. It can eliminate many problems especially for collectors’ item.

The application of pre-paid cash card for consumers

Nowadays, people can limit their spending with their prepaid cash card that load funds onto the card and use the money.Obopay, one of the prepaid cash cards that are similar as debit cards because both are using existing money rather than borrowing. However, personal identification number has to be keyed in for the transaction to be authorized if using prepaid cash cards. It is considered as most secure and safe financial transaction card because can it likes a portable access point to checking account. Nevertheless, it could not use for online shopping and in “quick pay” terminals that have a card reader but no keypad to enter a personal identification number.

Pre-paid Vista Cash Card is issued by Four Oaks Bank & Trust Company that given the opportunity for consumers with poor credit record and young children by not spending more than the balance on the card. Visa permits travelers access to money at automated teller machines in 65 countries and book the train tickets by offering prepaid cash card such as Metro Card in New York City.

Touch ‘n Go (TnG) smart card is used by Malaysian for electronic payment system to toll expressway and highway. It is expanding its business to retail purchase by starting with fast food industry that enables consumers to buy dough nut, burger or fast-food from 21 outlets such as Burger King, 7-Eleven, Dunkin’ Donut. It is imitating the success of Hong Kong’s Octopus Card by setting 5 to 10% of the card holders for retail purchase as current target of the company.

Octopus Card was launched in Hong Kong on year 1997, September. It is a rechargeable contactless stored value smart card to transfer electronic payments in online in offline system. It is widely used in payment system for transportation, supermarkets, fast food restaurant, car parks and other pint of sale application such as service station s and vending machines that have achieved good outcomes.

Review a local e-commerce site

E-commerce covers the online activities inducing Internet users to purchase products and services online. AirAsia is one of the companies that provide local e-commerce website. It leads as a cost leadership in the industry.

It provide difference online services in its own website such as booking ticket, information about destination, shopping chat, travel services, corporate services and so on. It allows customers from around the world to gain more information about them and its products. Potential customers can browse online catalogues without having to leave their homes or offices.

Moreover, AirAsia also provide latest news about the famous places in the travel services categories. It also very care about those users that from different level, different background and those use different language so it provide different language to be selected by the users. It makes them feel more comfortable by using their own language. When talking about the colour and fonts selections, it using red colour as a main colour and font word design. It can attract the user who browse Airasia web page either for who view it at first time or for those regular user. Sometime it have advertise promotion appear in the web page, so the customers will know the latest promotion price or packages.

Furthermore, customer can book the ticket through this website http://booking.airasia.com/skylights/cgi-bin/skylights.cgi . Customer can fill in the detail such as date, number of guest, the destination and whether you want to one way or return. In the booking categories, it also provide more information about the way of online payment. Through the shopping chat, AirAsia offers a choice of credit cards to fit the needs of your lifestyle in different countries such as AirAsia-Citibank Credit Card and AirAsia-Citibank Gold Card are offer for Malaysia guest. In the conclusion, Air Asia is a famous local e-commerce in Malaysia. Most of the local customers like to fly with Air Asia plane because it provide a clear picture and information to the customers and it contribute a concept to everyone, which is “Everyone can Fly"

refer to:


http://www.airasia.com/site/my/en/home.jsp

Corporate Blogging: A New Marketing Communication Tool For Companies

A corporate blogging is a blog published by or with the support of an organization to reach that organization’s goals. Corporate blogging 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.

In marketing terms, a corporate blogging can bring a human personality to a faceless company, which can create a connection between the corporation and the client. This can lead to deeper loyalty and richer feedback. As of February 2008, over 10% of Fortune 500 companies use corporate blogging as a marketing tool. Why? It is because corporate blogging provides an opportunity for businesses small and large to engage and interact with customers.

Corporate blogs can be classified into six different categories. Each category shares common characteristics and the blog content can be expected to differ between the categories. The six categories of corporate blogging are Sales blogs, Relationship blogs, Branding blogs, Knowledge blogs, Collaboration blogs, and Culture blogs.

The advantages of corporate blogging are:

1) Build rapport with customers. Through the publish of a corporate blog, the company is giving their customers a channel to interact and get to know their brand and organisation in a format that they’re familiar and comfortable with.

2) Free feedback and suggestions from key constituents. Corporate blogging gives the company insights to what people are saying about their products, their brand, their competitors, their marketing from the comfort of their office chair.

3) Increased website traffic from higher search engine rankings. It is Because blogs are so easy to publish, the company can adding new content to their website more frequently. Search engines favour websites with fresh content and ranks their blog higher in search results, which in turn results in a greater number of referrals from search engines to their website and blog.

4) Position the company business as a thought leader. One of the most effective marketing strategies is “Show, don’t tell”. The company can use their corporate blog to take advantage of this strategy by demonstrating their expertise and experience in their industry through commentary, guides, analysis, etc. The quality of their blog content reflects the quality of their organisation.

References:
http://www.backbonemedia.com/blogsurvey/
http://www.corporateblogging.info/basics/corporatebloggingprimer.pdf
http://www.netdynasty.com/articles/pr/corporate blogs/

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

The Electronic Government initiative was launched to lead the country into the Information Age. It will improve both how the government operates internally as well as how it delivers services to the people of Malaysia. It seeks to improve the convenience, accessibility and quality of interactions with citizens and businesses; simultaneously, it will improve information flows and processes within government to improve the speed and quality of policy development, coordination and enforcement.

The vision of Electronic Government can refer to the link of http://www.american.edu/initeb/ym6974a/egovernment.htm.

The 7 pilot projects of the Electronic Government Flagship Application are as follows:
1. Project Monitoring System (SPP II)
2. Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS)
3. Generic Office Environment (GOE)
4. Electronic Procurement (EP)
5. Electronic Services (E-Services)
6. Electronic Labour Exchange (ELX)
7. E-Syariah

Other than these seven main projects under e-government flagships, several government agencies has also initiated online services for the public projects, aims to increase the ease and efficiency of public service to the people. Among others were Malaysian Government’s Official Portal (myGovernment), e-Tanah, e-Consent, e-Filing, e-PBT, Pensions Online Workflow Environment (POWER), and e-SILA. For more information about all this can refer to the link as below:

1. http://www.gov.my/MyGov/BI/Directory/Citizen/Home.htm
2. http://www.etanah.gov.my/etanah/main.php
3. http://www.google.com.my/search?hl=en&q=e-Consent&meta=
4. http://www.agc.gov.my/agc/Pencen/Borang/borang.htm
5. http://esila.jpa.gov.my/portaljpa.php




















The common problems encountered by consumers are troublesome if the computer system is broke down, the service will be very slow because of the human being, the consumers need to wait too long to proceed their things. Besides, the older people do not have computer skill, so they do not know how to process their things through the computerized system.

Since there has problem faced by the consumers, I suggest that government can always observe and make sure their computerized system are well managed, and do not disturb their daily work. In addition, distribute some staff to perform service for the older people who do not computer skill to help them to process their things through the computerized system.

Mobile payment systems in Malaysia: Its potentials and consumers’ adoption strategies

Mobile Money is a PIN-based Mobile Payment Solution designed by Mobile Money International Sdn Bhd to address the limitations and bottlenecks created by cash, cheques and credit cards. It unlocks the power of the mobile phone to make payments, allowing registered users to pay for goods and services at anytime, anywhere using only a mobile phone coupled with a 6-digit security PIN (Personal Identification Number) via SMS (Short Messaging Service). This gives the freedom to shoppers to buy products online and pay the merchant using his/her mobile phone without being physically present at the store.

When it comes to online selling, selecting a payment gateway is one of the major obstacles faced by the merchants in Malaysia. There are too few choices available, worse; none of these limited choices are cost effective. This problem has been addressed by Mobile Money, since it allows merchants to take online order without the need for online shopper to disclose their credit card information. For more information, you can go to visit the website as http://www.neowave.com.my/mobilemoney_overview.asp.

Mobile Money will encourage more consumers to shop online. This will definitely be a great boon to the e-commerce industry in Malaysia. It will surely encourage more merchants to adopt online selling as an extra sales channel which complement perfectly with their offline sales channel to help them sell more of their goods and services. This feature allows merchants to accept payment via Mobile Money and process the payment in real time within clicks.

Mobile Money functions like a Credit Card if a shopper applies for a "Pay by Mobile Phone" credit card account (eg Hong Leong Mobile Credit Card). The shopper will be billed by the bank accordingly by month's end. In addition, it functions as a Debit Card if it is tied to shopper's savings or current account. The amount will be deducted instantly from the account upon successful transaction.

Credit Card Debts: causes and prevention

Nowadays, credit card debts are major cause of bankruptcies each year. It is because many people have never realized of its consequences from financial and non financial perspectives when get a new credit card or not enough safety net when there is an incident happen.

Causes:
Poor money management is one of the best reasons that why so many families have accumulated many credit card debts. It is because people are unaware to conduct a monthly spending plan and do not keep track of monthly bills. People have never realized their spending on the items that are useless and do not have any value in their life. Thus, it has lead to a rise in debts by using credit cards.
Second, Credit card will probably become one of the sources of funds to pay off the medical expenses if health insurance is not adequate to cover the medical bills if one of your family members suffers serious illness. In United States, almost everyone pays their medical expenses by credit cards to get treatment.

Prevention
Firstly, user should create a budget and stick to it. A clear budget that includes all of your monthly bills, food, entertainment and miscellaneous items will prevent you from spending thoughtlessly and buying on impulse
Secondly, user also can maintain clear financial records and a regular payment schedule. Disorganization can cause you to overlook bills and overestimate how much you have to spend. Dedicate a specific time every month (just after payday is best) when you can sit down with your finances, pay your bills and determine how much you have to spend for the month ahead.

Referred links:
1.http://www.mozdex.com/prevent-credit-card-debt/ 2.http://ezinearticles.com/?Understanding-Credit-Card-Debt-Problems&id=1225936 3.http://www.fastweb.com/fastweb/resources/articles/index/102925 4.http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/debt/debt_manage_2004/top-10-causes.asp
5.http://www.ehow.com/how_2080761_avoid-bankruptcy.html