Online shopping communities in Thailand
By Jon Fernquest |
DVDs and books are the top online purchases in Thailand.
Recently, online banking and web payment systems such as paypal.com and Thailand's equivalent, thaiepay.com, have made online shopping a lot more easier and popular in Thailand.
According to the research from Nielsen, Internet users who buy online tend to stick with regular web sites.
Amazon and eBay may be the two most well-known ecommerce sites internationally, but in Thailand pantipmarket.com is the most popular. Cars, houses, and computers are the most popular purchases at pantipmarket.com.
Putting money into a stranger's bank account after agreeing to a purchase an item over the internet is obviously risky. It is also difficult to check the quality of a purchase over the internet.
Online Communities: Sharing Knowledge
Online communities can help make online shopping a lot less risky.
Siambrandname.com is a good example of an online shopping community in which the members collectively become smarter than they would be if they were shopping alone:
In 2004, Unyanee Mooksombud set up a small online community to share her personal interest in "authentic" branded goods with other fanatics. Starting as a chat room, members started to trade items, leading to what is now the largest online market for people looking for genuine branded products.If you visit a forum called "Catch Fake" within the site, you will find useful information on how to tell authentic products from the counterfeits.
Business comes after in-depth information trading among members about their designer products...
"With 7,000 registered members, members' ID card numbers are required for those who want to sell products on our web site," says Pornanan Udomthavornsuk, a member of the site's research development staff. "It's the first screening to provide security for our members, since most of the products are high value."
Pornanan shared a story of a young man who was a victim of a scam on his web site. "He wanted to buy a nice gift for his girlfriend, and he heard about Siambrandname.com. Unfortunately, he contacted one buyer, and met the man in person to have a look at the bag he was interested by himself.
"Since he had very little knowledge of brand name goods, he bought a fake," revealed Pornanan. "Luckily he took a photo of the person who sold him the bag, and we posted the photo on the site to warn other members."
After this, members became more aware and consciously concerned about the reputation of the web site and their own security. "Since Siambrandname is a mixture of community and online shopping, members agree to strict rules when posting items for sale. Each product must be pictured and available for veteran members to help screen for other members," said Pornanan. "The expertise scares the scammers away," he laughed.
According to Pornanan, business on the web site reaches almost one million baht a day.
"From the loyalty of our members we have gained over the last four years, Siambrandname is now preparing to set up a company to better serve our members and further expand our online community."
(Source: Bangkok Post, Outlook, 20-07-08, page 1, Yanapon Musiket, temp-link)
Vocabulary:
online banking - online banking services provided to bank customers (See Wikipedia)
web payment systems - web sites that allow you to make payments to people or businesses (See Wikipedia and list)
paypal.com - a system for making payments and money transfers over the Internet (See Wikipedia)
thaiepay.com - the Thai equivalent of paypal.com (See website)
Nielsen - a famous marketing research firm (See Wikipedia)
Amazon - the first popular on-line bookstore that now sells many other products (See Wikipedia)
eBay - an online auction and shopping website where goods and services are bought worldwide, eBay operates web sites in 30 other countries besides the US (See Wikipedia)
ecommerce - electronic commerce, the buying and selling of products or services over the internet and the software that allows this to be done (See Wikipedia)
an online community, virtual community, e-community - a group of people who communicate and meet over the internet for social, professional, educational or other purposes, rather than meeting and communicating face to face (See Wikipedia)
authentic, genuine - the real thing, is what it claims to be
counterfeits, fakes - something that looks real but isn't
branded goods - goods with a brand name (See Wikipedia)
a brand - "a collection of images and ideas representing an economic producer; more specifically, it refers to the concrete symbols such as a name, logo, slogan, and design scheme. Brand recognition and other reactions are created by the accumulation of experiences with the specific product or service, both directly relating to its use, and through the influence of advertising, design, and media commentary. A brand is a symbolic embodiment of all the information connected to a company, product or service. A brand serves to create associations and expectations among products made by a producer. A brand often includes an explicit logo, fonts, color schemes, symbols, sound which may be developed to represent implicit values, ideas, and even personality" (See Wikipedia)
a fanatic - very enthusiastic about something
in-depth - deal with a subject thoroughly, covering all aspects
screen - examine and investigate to make sure something is accceptable
security - protect, make a place or a person safe (See glossary)
a scam - a trick, deception, or lie used to get money from people illegally
victim of a scam - the person who is tricked and loses money
a scammer - the person who tricks and gains money (not good)
met the man in person, met face to face - be in the same place when meeting (not over the phone or over the internet)
reputation - to be known, remembered, or thought of as good or bad for some reason (See glossary)
posting items for sale - making an advertisement on a website to sell something
veteran - been involved in the activity for a long time
veteran members - people who have been members for a long time
expertise - knowledge, knowing a lot about something or how to do something
scare away - make someone afraid, frighten them, so they don't come back
loyalty - being a friend with someone or supporting them for a long time, without changing
