Review a local, transactional e-commerce site

Nowaday, there are many local transactional e-commerce sites exist. Actually, we know that e-commerce consist of the process of buying, selling or exchanging products, services and information through computer networks. In other words, it is a business activity that conducted by using electronic data transmission technologies. 'Moresales' is one of the local transactional e-commerce sites we have chosen to discuss. The website is www.moresales.com.my.


Moresales.com.my is a internet shopping company. They don't own a physical shop, don't own a sales or pickup center, don't hire any salesgirl. Due to this , they sometimes can sell cheaper than physical shops simply because they can save money on paying rental, electricity bill , salesgirl's salary and etc. They started in Jan 2005, and the response has been growing in line with Malaysia growing netizens and broadband.

Until 2007, they have sold to more than 10,000 customers in and outside Malaysia. They have more than 5000 items in their webstore, their current product lines are mainly consumer electronics, home gadgets , pharmacy related , CD and books.

When we order somethings, they accept Credit Cards ( Master & Visa) , Internet Banking , Fund Transfer , Cash Deposit , Cheque Deposit , Paypal , Western Union, Oversea Bank Telegraph Transfer , Emoneygram.com , Mobile Money , Pospay , AMonline, AllianceOnline. By the way, We can also place our order by sms them at 012-681-4702 or by faxing them at 03-5635-7902. For sms , please send brief sms : (name) want to buy (no of units) (item name) (location : Peninsular, Sarawak, Sabah, Spore, Brunei, others) (payment: Maybank,RHB, HL,BCB/CIMB,PBB, Paypal, other). they will reply us with sms for total amount and bank account. Once we have made payment, please ,Immediately sms again : (name) paid (amount) for (item name).


The usage summary of the moresales.com.my

Corporate Blogging: A new marketing tool for companies

Nowadays, corporate blogging is being used as a new marketing tool for companies since it is a way of promoting a new product, improving brand image and for research. Furthermore, organization is widely using and published corporate blogging to achieve the goal of growing a business through internal, external and CEO Blogs. This is because the company will be expanded as it caters to online customers who may come across it.

In addition, corporate blogging is another communications and marketing channel when companies are struggle for customer share and need to shore up their corporate message in any way. It has the opportunity to reach more than thousands of interested people without large advertising budget.

Amazon Web services blog by Amazon.com is one of the successful blogs that I would like to idea into a successful share with everyone. It is flexibility since a developer can run more experiments and achieve results much faster than before. Besides that, developers are able to convert their concept and finished product quickly. It also helps to improve the communication and its customer services that attract more people to consume and discuss new products online.

There are four advantages of the corporate blogging. First of all, corporate blogging as a success communication tool since company can built their trustworthiness and boost up their company’s credentials through blogs. New products and services can easily be made accessible through blogs to everyone who is interesting. It has become a new time saving and cheaper way to reach potential and current customers. Further, blogs also act as an active medium to communicate between various layers of an organization.

Secondly, corporate blogs can also be effectively used as a marketing tool. It provides a clear mind map of overall marketing strategy to its employees and third parties with organization communication plan and media mix. A successful marketing through blogs creates or enters an area of interest where the readers are known the products or services.

Thirdly, blogs is helpfulness in interacting with users and provide a chance for people to voice their opinions, grievances and feedbacks. When other people view the testimonials made by
customers themselves, people will be satisfied as they know that the company is listened to their comments. Lastly, company can use the business blog which is a direct recruitment tool to educate the potential employees about the organization and advertise vacancies.

Nevertheless, companies are often very sensitive and criticism. Sometimes, people may be talking out of the topic or use blogs to write negative comments which can lead to bad publicity. Negative comments can be offset with a clear comment and moderation policy. Moreover, most people are unable to write down their ideas in a compelling and clear manner. Not doubt that, it will misunderstand the audience who is more passionate about the company’s product and the organization. Additionally, many blogs are not updated because it is very time-consuming and costly to update their blogs regularly. Thus, the reputation of the organization will be affected and further lead to legal liabilities.

In conclusion, corporate bloggin g is getting important for corporation to deliver the message privately or publicity because it has brought many pros even though the cons come along with it. Hence, companies which participate in blogging should reduce its risks by managing effectively with the proper corporate blogging strategy.

E-government in Malaysia: Its implementation and citizen's adoption strategies

The Malaysian government has developed the Public ICT Strategic Plan to ensure that the service provided for the Malaysian citizen is efficiency and effectiveness. Following the launch of the ICT plan, the e-Government website, was launched and is still under construction for more interactive functions. The myGovernment Portal(www.gov.my) acts as the one-stop source of Malaysian government information and services for the citizens. It aims to make the interaction between government and citizens (G2C), government and business enterprises (G2B), and inter-agency relationships (G2G).

Current Application of E-government in Malaysia

E-filing is one of the applications of e-government, by using this service, you can get a convenience, fast and accurate tax computation. You only need to key in the transaction detail into the computer and the system will help you to compute the tax payable automatically and accurately. After the submission, you can get the acknowledgement e-mail of tax form return from Inland Revenue Board.

Besides, the e-government also provided a portal where you can renew your road tax online. You are required to enter your insurance details (cover note) and make your payment online using a credit or debit card, the road tax slip can be delivered to your home or office within few days.

Additionally, KWSP i-Akaun refers to a member's or an employer's EPF account which is available on the internet. By having this account, the employer or member may use the online services offered by the EPF. It provides the online services that allow members to check the status of their account and enable member to calculate the amount eligible for withdrawal for the various withdrawal schemes.

Problem

1) Language barrier – Most of the e-government website is using bahasa melayu and english version. However, many citizens are still not proficient in this two language. Therefore, they cannot enjoy the services online and they need to use the traditional way to make their things done.

2) Online behavior - Malaysians remain sceptical on being distrust on electronic transaction especially on banking online and buying from an Internet store.

3) Lack of public awareness - 60% of the public are not aware of the online services offered by the government.

Solution

1) Malaysia is a multiracial country, therefore, the e-government website should provide in multiple language version in order to allow citizen to choose the language they want and make the system user-friendly to everyone.

2) Government should take some actions to increase the awareness of public to encourage the citizen to use the e-government services. All of the action can be made through the media or newspaper by providing the information about the e-government system to enhance the knowledge of citizen.

3) The security system of e-government must be updated regularly to ensure that all information are protected from unauthorized users and this can enhance the confidence of citizen to use the e-government system.

Related link:

http://driving-school.com.my/renew-license/renew-malaysian-driving-license-online/
https://www.mykey.com.my/Website/secureefiling.php
http://www.kwsp.gov.my/index.php?ch=p2index&pg=bm_p2index_service&ac=5

A Discussion On E-Learning Offered In Malaysian Universities: Pros And Cons From The Students Perspective

Recently, E-Learning is one of the famous topics that is being discussed by Malaysian universities students. Indeed, what is going on regarding E-Learning? In order to know it in-depth, hereby, there is a discussion on Pros and Cons of E-Learning offered in Malaysian universities from the students perspectives.

As obvious, the term “online education” or “distance learning
” simply means what it implies. Through E-Learning or distance education programs, students have the capability to enroll in classes that are carried out completely over the internet. Classes are conducted from online colleges and universities across the world, and all that is needed is a bit of motivation from the student’s side to acquire his or her degree online.

In the past couple of years, online education has gained much popularity, as traditional along with online-only colleges began offering distance learning courses after realizing that there are individuals out there who have trouble attending regular classes due to hectic lifestyles. There are numerous reasons why one should opt for E-Learning, while on the other hand there are reasons why institutions providing online education are not all that well-reputed.

Pros of Online Education
There are numerous benefits of acquiring online degree, and those already enrolled in distance education programs know the true worth of the education they receive. The most prominent benefit of studying online is that neither the student nor the teacher has to travel long distances to attend classes at a particular location as eLearning can be conducted from just about anywhere in the world. The courses and online degree programs are carried out over the internet, through online learning management systems, internet char, real-time lectures, webinars, and numerous others.

The second benefit is that online students have the capability to study at their own pace. In a traditional setting, students need to finish their given assignments within a particular period of time, while through online education they can study whenever they are free. The online faculty assigns projects with a deadline and students can finish their projects at whatever time they find feasible within that particular deadline.

This leads us to the third benefit of online education, which is that those enrolled in an online college or university can easily balance work, family and their studies, thereby fulfilling all commitments. Instead of being away at a traditional college for about 8 hours a day, they can easily spend time with their family or even carry out work-related tasks while studying online.

Cons of eLearning
Just like anything else in life, E-Learning has its disadvantages as well. First of all, there is the downside of there being no face-to-face interaction between the student and the professors. Even though they can meet outside the World Wide Web once in a blue moon, but it just does substitute for the entire social interaction that takes place in normal settings. Professors and students just do not get to know each other the way they do in a traditional classroom. Another con to the entire eLearning experience is that the college or university individual’s enroll in might not be properly accredited.

There are numerous benefits of proper accreditation, but it is of utmost importance for those who are willing to seek employment upon graduation. Not all online colleges and universities are accredited and you need to make sure that you go for one which is properly accredited and recognized state-wide.

Related link:
http://www.onlineedublog.com

The application of pre-paid cash card for consumers

A prepaid cash card looks like a credit or debit card. But, the differences are prepaid card users can only spend when the prepaid cards are reloaded its balance. A prepaid cash card allows consumers to purchase something even when they don’t have the cash to pay for it. It benefits consumers in their everyday life. So, Prepaid cash cards are designed to be used as a safer alternative as compare to cash. It allows consumers to have a better control over their finance.

The Application of prepaid cash card :

1.Online shopping - Prepaid card users can purchase any products and make payment through online.

2.Bill payment - Rent, utilities, insurance, car payment, and cell phone bills can be paid instantly.

3.Withdrawing and transferring cash – Prepaid card can withdraw cash through any ATM machine . It also can transfer cash to other people or receive cash from another people through ATM machine.

4.Topping up mobile phone – Prepaid card can be used to top up mobile phone’s credits. Funds can also be transfer to the prepaid phone via text message.

5.Toll payment - Using Touch‘n Go card is an expressway of making toll payment at all highways and use for public transports’ fares like bus, LRT and so on in Malaysia.

6.Virtual traveler’s check - Some prepaid card like MasterCard travel card is acceptable in worldwide. Card users can ask their family to deposit money and use it when needed in the trip


Benefits of using prepaid cash card :

1.Consumers can go for shopping without carrying loads of cash but only shopping with a card which is safer.

2.Consumers can control their spending which only can spend the amount deposit in the card.

3.Consumers who make debit card purchases are free of interest charges associated with credit cards.

4.Consumers can conveniently and inexpensively transfer funds to friends and relatives everywhere.

Electronic Currency

Electronic money can be defined as money or scrip which is exchanged electronically. Basically, this exchange process involves the use of computer networks, the internet, as well as digital stored value systems. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) and direct deposit are examples of electronic money. On the other hand, it is a collective term for financial cryptography and technologies enabling it.

Hereby, there are two types of famous electronic currency are needed to demonstrate, which are PayLoadz and Peppercoin.

The PayLoadz system works in conjunction with PayPal or Google Checkout to provide anyone who wants to sell a digital product the platform to do so. It is especially useful to merchants wanting to sell intangible goods to customers’ right from their own web site or in online auctions. There is no special programming or server requirement needed. In other words, it just cut and paste the HTML code provided.

The following information shows how PayLoadz delivers the digital goods to the customer:

1.A customer browses a web site and finds the product that they would like to purchase.

2.They click the “Buy Now” links generated from the PayLoadz system to add an item to their shopping cart.

3.Once finished adding items, they click on “Check Out” to purchase their items.

4.They will be prompted for their PayPal or Google Checkout Username and Password. If they do not have an account, they will be given the opportunity to create one or to check out without creating an account using a credit card or bank account as their funding source.

5.After they have completed the payment process, the PayPal or Google Checkout server communicates with the PayLoadz server and provides the transaction details to our system. This communication takes place “behind the scenes” neither the customer, nor the merchant, sees this process.

6.Our system then sends your customer an email which contains custom “thank you” text that you specify during the product creation process, and a link to download their product. They are also redirected to the download page, immediately after payment at PayPal and Google Checkout, that provides them instant access to their purchase.

7.The link is an encoded link that, when clicked, processes at the PayLoadz web site instantaneously and prompts the customer with a download popup box asking to “Save” or “Open” the file.

8.The whole process happens in a matter of seconds. You are notified with two emails, one duplicate of the email sent to the customer from PayLoadz, and one for Notification of payment from PayPal or Google Checkout. We send the duplicate download email to you in case there is any problem with the email delivery to the customer. A person can purchase and download your goods in under a minute.
On the other hand, Peppercoin develops and markets an innovative suite of products and services for processing small payments that enables merchants and financial services companies to grow revenue and profits through the sale of low-priced offerings. When digital and physical merchants deploy Peppercoin, consumers can use their debit and credit cards for purchases of any size.

Furthermore, Peppercoin offers:
(i)Purchase Plan Flexibility- Supports blended pay-per-use, pre-paid, subscription and post-paid payments.
(ii)Market Flexibility- Supports physical point-of-sale, online and mobile transactions.

Besides that, it helps merchants increase revenues while decreasing costs associated with small payments.

1. Increased revenues:
From new low-priced products for sale
From new, card wielding customers

2. Decreased costs:
Intelligent Aggregation™
Automated Consumer Self-Care
Lower costs resulting from Peppercoin's distributed processing and storage

Lastly, Peppercoin resolves key processing challenges by:
1.Reducing transaction processing costs with Intelligent Aggregation™.
2.Minimizing customer service expenses with online, automated consumer self-care.
3.Managing exposure to risk.

Related link:
http://help.payloadz.com/help/default.aspx?page=FAQ.aspx#pyldz
http://gold-pages.net/Peppercoin.htm
https://www.payloadz.com/?gclid=CJS-kOX9u5sCFY0vpAodRlJ92w

Credit Card debts: Causes and Prevention

Credit card is a plastic card which having a magnetic strip that may be used to purchase products and services on credit repeatedly which issued by banks and financial institutions. It is usefulness in establishing your financial independence especially for emergencies. Unfortunately, a lot of people tend to misuse credit cards when they can’t afford something to satisfy their desirable. This is where credit card debt arises where debt increases via interests and penalties that they never perceive the amount used whether affordable or not. Thus, the problems of bankruptcy never decrease but increase gradually in each year.
There are five of the causes of credit card debts that I would like to discuss in the following:

1. Poor money management
Poor money management is one of the bigger causes that why people have accumulated many credit card debts and the increasing of the bankruptcy. Generally, people will likely to keep on spending with using the future money without perceive that they are unable to pay back the debts by using credit cards. Without conducting spending plan and keeping bills or receipts, people will never realized how much their spending on the unnecessary items and the increasing debts and interests should be charged every month.


2. No saving cushion
Nowadays, many people don’t understand how to save and invest for a rainy day. When people using credit cards, they would like to use the future money and have not extra money to save in bank. In this condition, people will be tough to manage their saving as they are spending more than their income. It is very tempting and may found difficulties to pay back the amount since the saving account is negative.


3. Unemployment
Many people lost their job and unable to maintain their living expenses due to the economic depression. They are forced to use the future money to cover their future living expenses by over using credit card. When expenses are not cut down to cover the reduction in income, this may lead to a rise in credit card debts.


4. Gambling
Gambling has become a popular part of entertainments in today. When it becomes addictive then it is hard to stop. Not doubt that, it will lead to financial disaster if borrowing through credit card for gambling.


5. Excessive medical expenses
The cost of obtaining cures and medicine is increasing every year. Normally, credit card becomes one of the sources of fund to pay off the medical expenses if health insurance is not adequate to cover the medical bills. This also will lead to rise in credit card debts.


People should think of the solution to avoid themselves from credit card debts by not keep on blaming the situation. The debts are not a curse and it might be a signal for people who always owe many debts to learn how to responsible in life. There are some tips to prevent credit card debts:


1. Conducting a budget
In order to eliminate the credit card debts, people have to make a budget and follow it. This will prevent from overspending and fall under deeper debt load. In addition, budget planning also can record how much money was spent in order to control the desirable of them. Credit card users also are advisable to pay off the lowest amount first and the following to pay off the second lowest amount. This can allow you to pay the lower amount of interest and buy more.


2. Self control and disciplines
People who using credit card should learn how to have a better self control and discipline so that able to pay back the full amount of debts each month and use in emergencies. People can cut up their credit cards which have the highest interest rate and the lowest one should be deemed an “emergency card”. Moreover, they also can control themselves by limit their credits card amount by stopping them to use the money. This may reduce the expenses more than their budget.


3. Communicating and dealing with creditors
People can address the problem to creditors instantly to investigate whether they could give revised payment arrangement when facing trouble to pay off the huge debts. They also can refer to Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to identify debts problems if the collection of money from creditors is not fair enough.
In my conclusion, using credit card is avoidable unless it should be used for emergencies and you are affordable to paying off the amount due immediately.

Mobile Payment Systems In Malaysia: Its Potentials And Consumers' Adoption Strategies

Mobile payment system can be defined as a point-of sale payment made through a mobile device. It enables consumers to receive and send money by using mobile device such as mobile phone, Smartphone, Cellular telephone and personal digital assistant (PDA). With that, consumers no longer need to bring any cash or credit card while travelling; they just need to use their hand phone as their credit card to make the payments. It is more convenient for consumers especially in this fast growing market. The largest credit card payment system is visa which launches a universal system and signed with mobile giants. Mobile giant like Nokia launches this service in Nokia handset which allows customers to remote payment, person-to-person payments, and contact fewer payments.

For Malaysia itself, at November 21, 2001 the first mobile payment system in Malaysia launched, malaysian can enjoy the secure and convenient way to conduct mobile commerce using a GSM cellular phone. TeleMoney, the country's first mobile payment service and it is expected to fully operational in the first quarter of 2002.
Besides that, Mobile Money International Sdn.Bhd is a Mobile payment system in Malaysia which implements the MM wallet and allows customers to send a payment request through an SMS text message by personal identification number (pin) authorization to pay their bills. Consumers can SMS-transfer money to anyone, anywhere, and anytime.

On the other hand, mobile payment systems can be used for purchasing musics, ringtones, wallpaper and games (there are many of these type of service or product offered in Malaysia’s newspaper). Most Malaysian buys these ringtones and games via mobile payment, either via GPRS/WAP or SMS (premium SMS based transactional payments).

There are few types of mobile transaction can be made:
(i)Premium SMS transaction
(ii)WAP (mobile web)
(iii)Mobile payment providers

The potential for this market is quite big, because it is very convenient to use mobile payment. The mobile payment providers have a large market share to be grabbed on. This mobile payment is still new and developing in Malaysia. It has potential to continue to grow as consumer’s confidence on mobile payment increased. Mobile payment providers have most potential for growing.

To put it simple:
(i)Market still at developing stage
(ii)Many mobile phone users
(iii)Low competition

The consumers’ adoption strategies are as follows:

1.Educate consumers about mobile payments, how to use and introduce its functions (e.g. bill payment, mobile purchase).

2.Enhance security and confidence to mobile users.

3.Collaborate with more banks and companies to widen the ability to pay via mobile at the same time it helps to increased customer’s satisfaction and confidence.

4.Maintain customer’s loyalty.

Currently Mobile Money has teamed up with Hong Leong Bank Bhd and Bumiputra-Commerce Bank to allow consumers to make payments via their bank accounts linked to their mobile phones. It is targeting 1 million Malaysian mobile phone subscribers with the belief that sending cash via SMS will eventually become part of the daily life of the Malaysian community.

Related link(s):
•http://mobile-money.com.my/about_us.htm
•http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid40_gci772807,00.html
•http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_payment
•http://www.mymode.com.my/html/new/index.jsp