THE editorial, "S'pore as an online shop" (ST, Jan 1) highlights several reasons why e-commerce for Singapore should be a boon.
It also highlights some practical issues that require attention from various parties, with which I fully agree.
However, rather than focus on securing international online payments, I suggest Singapore vendors start focusing on improving the quality of e-services to Singaporeans.
Imagine the frustration non-Singaporeans overseas will feel if customer requests are unheeded and not attended to promptly.
The editorial cites the point on how vendors should also offer and stand by hassle-free return, refund, rebate, repair and replacement warranty. I totally agree.
A recent experience my wife has with a Singapore company - E-Nets - speaks volumes of how a company that claims to make online credit transactions easier should improve its customer service standards even further.
A credit refund requested by my wife via a company from which she had made online purchases is still pending, even though it was made about two weeks ago and relevant documents were submitted by the company to E-Nets.
This surely flies in the face of e-transactions, where a timeline of three days is already considered long.
This does not only destroy confidence in E-Nets' ability to process merchant requests.
Surely merchants will also be frustrated if they encounter similar requests on a larger scale constantly, which may lead them to decide not to lean on e-commerce eventually.
