The Ministry of Commerce has announced ten initiatives to develop the e-commerce retail industry.
The initiatives are based on the results of a survey “Consumer’s Voice”, conducted by the Ministry of Commerce to gauge the level of consumer satisfaction with the performance of online stores.
The findings of the survey, which has a response rate of more than 6,000 consumers, revealed that there are four key challenges that consumers face in this sector, primarily:
1. Policies on warranty and maintenance are unclear
2. Some stores do not have a delivery service
3. Delay in addressing a complaint
4. Consumer reimbursements are being delayed.
In the light of the survey results, the Ministry has approved ten measures to expand the operation of e-stores, namely:
1. E-commerce retailers are required to include all warranty information in the purchase invoice and contact with the product agent.
2. Progressively increase the scope of geographical reach to include the Kingdom's many regions, rather than only big cities.
3. Diversify shipping and delivery alternatives to avoid shipment delays.
4. Requiring e-commerce sites to offer a variety of payment options (Mada, credit cards, etc.)
5. Provide technical systems for managing and tracking refunds.
6. Facilitate order cancellation procedures so that the consumer does not feel confused.
7. Periodic reports to the Ministry providing performance indicators demonstrating how committed stores are to consumer rights and the issues they face in this matter.
8. Launch store-wide awareness efforts, displaying contact information and the arrival date of the item when it is purchased.
9. Include an Arabic video explaining the product, its features and how it is utilized, as well as photographs of various angles of the product.
10. Using technology to develop return and refund systems.
The Ministry of Commerce reiterated that it is collaborating with e-stores to undertake these initiatives in order to improve the services provided by the sector. It will work to increase consumer satisfaction and confidence in the sector, improve communication and continue monitoring the stores.