Online shopping is a heaven-sent! You don't have to endure the perpetual traffic just to go the mall or even sweat like a pig with this summer heat. Just by logging on to your favorite online shop you can browse through their seemingly endless selections and own whatever you desire at the tip of your fingertips.
My cousins and I have been raving about Lazada for years already. They have everything- from clothes to bags, sports accessories to gadgets, home appliances to canned goods, there's even a section that caters to your sweet tooth! Plus, they often have sales, sweet!
But despite such sweet deals, there are things I hope they have or the very least, improve. With that in mind, I've listed down some issues I personally think needs some tweaks to further make Lazada the best there is!
Product Reviews/Comments
Since you can only peruse the products you want virtually, reading the product reviews and comments help you make the decision to click that "buy" button or look for other options. But some comments are redundant, don't make a lick of sense or just plain old ridiculous. Moreover, there are those that gloss too much over the beauty of a certain product while others just get down rude and dirty with their reviews. You'll end up wondering if the comments and reviews are legit or just trolls.
The Idea:
When I was going through some random product review, I wondered if there was someone in Lazada who also read through all those stuffs. A moderator or just someone who monitors the thread would be nice. But having someone within the company respond to the comments, especially the negative ones can put the customers' mind in perspective, don't you think so?
It would also be more credible if the full names or social media profile of those who provided reviews and comments were included. I would prefer reading something written by a virtual stranger (who can I still address by name) as opposed to reading something from "anonymous", etc.
Comments, either positive or negative are important, as they can make or break a business too.
Customer Service
My cousins and I have been raving about Lazada for years already. They have everything- from clothes to bags, sports accessories to gadgets, home appliances to canned goods, there's even a section that caters to your sweet tooth! Plus, they often have sales, sweet!
But despite such sweet deals, there are things I hope they have or the very least, improve. With that in mind, I've listed down some issues I personally think needs some tweaks to further make Lazada the best there is!
Product Reviews/Comments
Since you can only peruse the products you want virtually, reading the product reviews and comments help you make the decision to click that "buy" button or look for other options. But some comments are redundant, don't make a lick of sense or just plain old ridiculous. Moreover, there are those that gloss too much over the beauty of a certain product while others just get down rude and dirty with their reviews. You'll end up wondering if the comments and reviews are legit or just trolls.
The Idea:
When I was going through some random product review, I wondered if there was someone in Lazada who also read through all those stuffs. A moderator or just someone who monitors the thread would be nice. But having someone within the company respond to the comments, especially the negative ones can put the customers' mind in perspective, don't you think so?
It would also be more credible if the full names or social media profile of those who provided reviews and comments were included. I would prefer reading something written by a virtual stranger (who can I still address by name) as opposed to reading something from "anonymous", etc.
Comments, either positive or negative are important, as they can make or break a business too.
Customer Service
Do you know the feeling of so looking forward to receiving your parcels only to have your bubbles burst when they don't arrive on the expected day/time or there has been a huge mix-up in the order. Well, you get my drift, right? Then, you would proceed to contacting the shop to address the issue, but the wait to get someone to talk with is freaking looong.
You are already annoyed as it is but all that waiting is making it worse! And then there are times that one can get more pissed with how the concern/complaint is handled. Wouldn't it be nice to have a customer service that is prompt and always available?
At present, Lazada has a section in their website dedicated in answering customers' concerns. A hotline is also provided but one can only talk with an agent from 6:00 in the morning to 12:00 in the midnight. They do have email support but replies can be a long wait as usual responses have 24-48 hours time frame. You can always opt for chat support but it is available from Mondays-Fridays at 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM only.
The Idea:
Lessen the waiting time. I know, I know customer service is no joke and agents also have it hard. But as I've mentioned earlier, there are cases when the customers get even more annoyed with the long wait and thus, inevitable for the agents to get the brunt of it. But I think it wouldn't be as bad if the customers did not have to wait long for their concerns to be addressed.
Delivery Service
I think online shops and even individual re-sellers have encountered problems with their delivery service at one time or another, so even the most legit business can be tarnished when their products are not delivered on time or delivered in a less stellar condition.
Although Lazada wants to make sure that you get your products asap and in its best condition such isn't really guaranteed as deliveries are handled by other companies. Lazada has partnered with LBC, Air21, 2Go and XDE. Deliveries in Metro Manila usually take one day to a week and provincial 5-12 calendar days.
Mind you, products from overseas take more days to arrive. You will be notified via SMS or email when your product has been dispatched for delivery depending on what courier service it has been taken to.
The Idea:
Honestly, there isn't much choice but to wait for your parcel patiently. Lazada opts different courier service so there are variations on how long or how soon they can deliver the product at your doorstep. There are tracking system for the deliveries but some times this can be a hassle too, especially when you have multiple orders. The products are given individual tracking numbers. So just imagine if you ordered 20 or so products, yikes!
It would be wonderful if Lazada has its very own courier service that is as extensive as the other known courier service. Things would be less complicated then. They would not have to coordinate and wait from their partners to give them any updates. More so, they can offer a more flexible option like express delivery or prearranged shipments and maybe come up with a simpler tracking system for multiple orders.
I was told they actually have their own courier service at present, the Lazada Express (LEX) but I guess their operations are still limited considering they still rely on other courier services.
Product Details
I get the fact that Lazada is just a platform and that product descriptions are usually provided by their merchants. Some products have very detailed descriptions but most are lacking; they don't even include where some products came from.
Personally, this is what I often look for first, regardless of what I am buying. Knowing where the product is manufactured from eases any doubts I have especially when the product in question is very cheap. We all want things that are affordable, "kayang- kaya at mura" as we say in Filipino but not at the expense of our well-being.
Moreover, being hoodwinked is also a big issue. If the product's specifications isn't properly provided, how can you know you're getting your money's worth? So knowing what you're actually buying and where they came from is pretty basic.
The Idea:
Lazada should set a format for the product descriptions that all their merchants should abide to the letter. It would make it easier for consumers to compare their choices and eventually pick the best among them. Inclusion of the type of materials and where they are made from (country) are a must.
Advertisements
I often see advertisements of Lazada online. Certain sites which have pop-up ads often redirect to Lazada which would initially take me by surprise but inevitably annoy me thereafter. I also chance upon radio advertisements, some print ads but not so much on TV.
The thing in the Philippine market is that we often associate a face or a name to a product or service. It's easier to forget a certain product name but not so much if it has an awesome commercial or jingle. Like when we talk about Coco Martin, we'd think of Probinsyano, which is still being aired, products he endorses and commercials he's in. Someone would even belt out, "relaks 'nay ang puso mo, gatas pa rin ito..."
The Idea:
In truth, we're just big suckers for catchy jingles and heartwarming commercial story line, those that we can get the "hugot" feels. Having eye-candies endorsing a product are a fail-safe move in the Philippines as Filipino fans go to extremes just to show their idols their love and support. So getting a local celebrity as brand ambassador/commercial model can certainly boost sales and further get "the name" out there.
From my perspective, Lazada is among the best shopping sites. I cannot think of any other company that holds big sales so frequently and caters to different age group other than Lazada. The issues I've recounted aren't necessarily big flaws but merely things that I thought can still be improved to better appeal to the consumers and keep up with the time.
-----
This post is an entry for iPrice E-Commerce Blogging Competition by Iprice
You are already annoyed as it is but all that waiting is making it worse! And then there are times that one can get more pissed with how the concern/complaint is handled. Wouldn't it be nice to have a customer service that is prompt and always available?
At present, Lazada has a section in their website dedicated in answering customers' concerns. A hotline is also provided but one can only talk with an agent from 6:00 in the morning to 12:00 in the midnight. They do have email support but replies can be a long wait as usual responses have 24-48 hours time frame. You can always opt for chat support but it is available from Mondays-Fridays at 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM only.
The Idea:
Lessen the waiting time. I know, I know customer service is no joke and agents also have it hard. But as I've mentioned earlier, there are cases when the customers get even more annoyed with the long wait and thus, inevitable for the agents to get the brunt of it. But I think it wouldn't be as bad if the customers did not have to wait long for their concerns to be addressed.
Delivery Service
I think online shops and even individual re-sellers have encountered problems with their delivery service at one time or another, so even the most legit business can be tarnished when their products are not delivered on time or delivered in a less stellar condition.
Although Lazada wants to make sure that you get your products asap and in its best condition such isn't really guaranteed as deliveries are handled by other companies. Lazada has partnered with LBC, Air21, 2Go and XDE. Deliveries in Metro Manila usually take one day to a week and provincial 5-12 calendar days.
Mind you, products from overseas take more days to arrive. You will be notified via SMS or email when your product has been dispatched for delivery depending on what courier service it has been taken to.
The Idea:
Honestly, there isn't much choice but to wait for your parcel patiently. Lazada opts different courier service so there are variations on how long or how soon they can deliver the product at your doorstep. There are tracking system for the deliveries but some times this can be a hassle too, especially when you have multiple orders. The products are given individual tracking numbers. So just imagine if you ordered 20 or so products, yikes!
It would be wonderful if Lazada has its very own courier service that is as extensive as the other known courier service. Things would be less complicated then. They would not have to coordinate and wait from their partners to give them any updates. More so, they can offer a more flexible option like express delivery or prearranged shipments and maybe come up with a simpler tracking system for multiple orders.
I was told they actually have their own courier service at present, the Lazada Express (LEX) but I guess their operations are still limited considering they still rely on other courier services.
Product Details
I get the fact that Lazada is just a platform and that product descriptions are usually provided by their merchants. Some products have very detailed descriptions but most are lacking; they don't even include where some products came from.
Personally, this is what I often look for first, regardless of what I am buying. Knowing where the product is manufactured from eases any doubts I have especially when the product in question is very cheap. We all want things that are affordable, "kayang- kaya at mura" as we say in Filipino but not at the expense of our well-being.
Moreover, being hoodwinked is also a big issue. If the product's specifications isn't properly provided, how can you know you're getting your money's worth? So knowing what you're actually buying and where they came from is pretty basic.
The Idea:
Lazada should set a format for the product descriptions that all their merchants should abide to the letter. It would make it easier for consumers to compare their choices and eventually pick the best among them. Inclusion of the type of materials and where they are made from (country) are a must.
Advertisements
I often see advertisements of Lazada online. Certain sites which have pop-up ads often redirect to Lazada which would initially take me by surprise but inevitably annoy me thereafter. I also chance upon radio advertisements, some print ads but not so much on TV.
The thing in the Philippine market is that we often associate a face or a name to a product or service. It's easier to forget a certain product name but not so much if it has an awesome commercial or jingle. Like when we talk about Coco Martin, we'd think of Probinsyano, which is still being aired, products he endorses and commercials he's in. Someone would even belt out, "relaks 'nay ang puso mo, gatas pa rin ito..."
The Idea:
In truth, we're just big suckers for catchy jingles and heartwarming commercial story line, those that we can get the "hugot" feels. Having eye-candies endorsing a product are a fail-safe move in the Philippines as Filipino fans go to extremes just to show their idols their love and support. So getting a local celebrity as brand ambassador/commercial model can certainly boost sales and further get "the name" out there.
From my perspective, Lazada is among the best shopping sites. I cannot think of any other company that holds big sales so frequently and caters to different age group other than Lazada. The issues I've recounted aren't necessarily big flaws but merely things that I thought can still be improved to better appeal to the consumers and keep up with the time.
-----
This post is an entry for iPrice E-Commerce Blogging Competition by Iprice
