Mazlan is veering toward online shopping addiction and has lots of complaints.
What Is Shopee?
For the uninitiated, Shopee is one of the leading e-commerce and online shopping platforms in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brazil, and Mexico.
Shopee, like Amazon, serves as an intermediary between buyers and sellers of goods. Their revenue comes from transaction-based fees, advertisements, and value-added services. It was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Singapore.
Shopee Malaysia
Shopee Malaysia made its debut a month after Shopee was set up in Singapore. It has successfully integrated itself into the Malay e-Commerce market, providing localized multilingual and omnichannel customer service.
How Fast Is Shopee Xpress?
The quick answer is slow. Despite its namesake, Shopee Xpress does not match the reliability and fast delivery of Shopee’s other logistic partners.
It may be cheaper (and claim to be faster), but the frustration of a delay or a misplaced item is just not worth the small savings they offer. I say this not just from my personal experience but also based on the experiences of other shoppers who cited similar issues.
Shopee’s Logistic Partners
Shopee set up its own logistic company—Shopee Xpress—in 2018 to provide a fast and cheap option for both sellers and buyers. Currently, they do deliveries for items weighing up to 30kg in West Malaysia only. They operate seven days a week from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM except for selected holidays.
They also partner with over 70 courier companies across their markets to provide logistical support for users. In Malaysia, logistic partners include J&T Express, Pos Laju, DHL, Ninja Van, The Lorry.com, and City Link Express.
The Future of Online Shopping
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people use e-commerce and prompted more people to buy products and services online. We rely now more than ever before on e-commerce to buy essential products, and we expect fast and seamless purchase journeys from checkout to delivery. As a result, some companies face overwhelming delivery requests while dealing with limited resources.
My Shopee Xpress Delivery Experience
If you check their website, Shopee Xpress claims to deliver your West Malaysia parcels within three working days after the seller ships the parcel.
In my experience, it took them almost two weeks to deliver my purchased item. When I contacted Shopee customer service, the response I got was this:
“. . . because of the MCO, our courier partners are struggling to fulfill all orders on time. Your parcel shows no movement. Our courier team is currently facing overwhelming delivery requests with limited resources. If your parcel is stuck under the same status, rest assured, we are trying our best to get things going. We have more SOPs to adhere including sanitization and ensuring the safety of our delivery team. If you do not see any update for up to 10 days, you may raise a refund request from your end. We will honor your request and assist accordingly.”
This is probably their standard reply to all who complained.
Examples of Shipping Rates After Discounts
Delivery Experiences From the Shopee Xpress Forums
If you go to the forum on the company’s site, you can find complaints about deliveries ranging from two to three weeks late—long past the three days promised by the company. Many swear they will not use Shopee Express again.
“This is my first time using SHOPEE EXPRESS. And what can I say is, they are too slow omg really bad service”
“Is this really Shopee Express? Or anything else? Shopee express takes maximum of 3 days to deliver the parcel but this shitty express takes 2 days to received the parcel at the drop point and it still stuck there. Such a waste courier regretted using this shitty service ever!”
“Clearly Shopee Express has no intention to improve its delivery services. Despite unable to promptly deliver . . .”
The above are direct quotes from forum users citing dissatisfaction with their service.
Tracking Your Parcel
Do you know where your package is? Usually, you do, as almost all courier companies provide tracking numbers and help users track their shipments to find out where they are in the transit process. With Shopee, tracking numbers are updated under your “Shipping Information” section, and you can track your parcel on this Shopee Xpress site.
Applying for a Refund
You can apply for a refund if you do not receive the parcel you bought on the Shopee platform after the expected delivery date.
Shopee will send you a reminder to confirm that you’ve received the order one day before Shopee Guarantee ends. You can raise a refund request if the order has yet to be delivered. Doing so prevents your payment from being released to the seller.
But in most cases, the seller has dispatched the goods, and the courier company either delayed or misplaced the parcel. Whatever the case may be, you should get your money back. The issue between the seller and the courier company is Shopee’s responsibility.
Should You Use Shopee Xpress?
So, the lesson to learn is to use a professional courier company and not an e-commerce marketplace company that doubles as a logistic business. Shopee Xpress is a classic example of this. They offer the lowest cost but not the best value.
Another issue is the company’s size, which affects the immediate availability. A suitable courier can pick up a package and deliver it immediately. You can’t do this if your company is small. That’s also why Shopee Xpress is only available to sellers in selected regions.
Shopee Cashback
Did you know that you can reduce your total purchase cost by redeeming Shopee Cashback coins? But first, you have to earn these coins. Many wonder whether to use the 70% cashback vouchers or just use the 10% cashback instead. Depending on your purchase amount, the 10% cashback can give you more Shopee Coins, so be sure to look at all your options.
What Do You Think?
In a crowded courier market, providers must remember that customer satisfaction and customer loyalty correlate positively to their market share and revenue. It is not just the ordering procedures that affect customer satisfaction but also the timeliness. Delayed delivery can lead to serious and lasting effects on their brand reputation, customer satisfaction, and retention.
How was your experience with Shopee Xpress? I’d love to hear about your experience with them. You can share your thoughts in the comments section below. Thank you.
This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.
© 2021 Mazlan A
