Heard from Malaysia news today, there is this website called SmartPengguna.
website
I found this website useful.
This website is useful to compare prices of products sold in Supermarket Stores (Carrefour, Giant, Jusco, Mydin, TESCO) in Wilayah Persekutuan KL (Federal Territory) and Selangor. Carrefour, Giant, Jusco, Mydin, TESCO are the main Supermarket Stores in Malaysia.
We can select the Supermarket Stores near to our home and select the products to be compared (currently there are 8 categories available). Note the date/time the information is updated.
We can also get Ministry news and user generated articles from the "News, Articles, Feedback, Q&A" portion.
This type of website is useful to reduce information cost/information asymmetry. Consumer can compare the prices first before taking a trip to the Supermarket Stores. But the pre-requisite is the information has to be accurate and updated frequently. The cost of getting information to this website should not be too high, otherwise this website will not be sustainable.
If you like the concept of SmartPengguna as a way to save and survive in recession, check out my other posts on recession survival and fraud prevention too.
Hi webmaster,
ReplyDeleteI'm danny. i saw your comment on our website smartpengguna.my.
we are interested to contact you, do u mind to email us your contact information through smartpengguna.my
Thank you, hope to hear from you soon.
Hi Danny from SmartPengguna.my,
ReplyDeleteThx for visiting my blog.
Your website provides a good service. Keep it up.
Will SmartPengguna covering other cities/states in the future ?
How does SmartPengguna get the price information from these Superstores, through electronic means or physically send peoples to check ? How's the frequency ?
Dear WY ,
ReplyDeleteI am Adam . Danny is tight to reply you ASAP , he is busy compiling data off all hypermarts , supermarkets in West Malaysia . KPDNHEP are very helpful to assist us from their own database on the list , at the same time compiling tips/warning of recent scams and relevant info to us to be published on our website.
We are collecting more 'demand' from regular consumers such as you and me of which cities/states in our comments box for the hypermarts to be ready.Half of the hypermarts are ready now and some said soon , as technically they still not ready. We want to be fair to all and not create handicap . Constantly we are communicating with them.
The method to gather prices are by allowing hypermarts themselves to insert their prices before 11am.Equal headstart is important to be fair to all parties.This will avoid any disputes on our side.We are capable to grab data via application but that will delay this project for time spent for R&D as each owns different warehousing system.
KDPNHEP did tried to gather data before we approach them by physically sending their officers to each hypermarts.It was a massive and expensive way and we advise them that we able to do it at no cost to them, shortcut.We just need advise and blessing and yes we did.
Frequency data updates is daily and as I mentioned , before 11am.We tried to do it earlier but there is hypermarts which are not ready yet.
The idea of this website if for consumers themselves to work hand in hand looking out after each others against any form of cheating and same time exchanging tips.
Danny told me that your website is great on financial advises , so we do to allows members to public to write articles related to consumerism.Leave your signature with your blog address too !
Nice meeting you .
Warmest regards
Adam B
Thanks Adam of SmartPengguna for your detailed explanation.
ReplyDeleteYes. I also visit KPDNHEP frequently. Useful indeed. Its table can be seen on Star newspaper too.
1. "allowing hypermarts themselves to insert their prices before 11am"; "grab data via application"
This is great. By using technology, cost to get information will then be low and not burdening your side.
This will make SmartPengguna sustainable.
Your website will also force these Hypermarts to compete on lower price and this will benefit consumers.
2. "for consumers themselves to work hand in hand looking out after each others against any form of cheating and same time exchanging tips."
This vision is great. Consumer in M'sia needs better protection.
3. "compiling tips/warning of recent scams and relevant info to us to be published on our website."
Search "Consumer complaint Malaysia" on Google will give some websites where M'sians put their complaints on. Maybe SmartPengguna can work hand-in-hand with these groups.
The problem is whether these websites (including yours) are popular enough to pressure the cheating sellers or get attention of the authority.
Maybe SmartPengguna can do a better job as it has blessings from the government.
How will SmartPengguna position itself on compiling tips/warning of recent scams
?
Will it be on consumer goods only or anything on scams ?
Hello Adam B,
ReplyDeleteI just saw from SmartPengguna website that you are the CEO of Zenito Global which developed this portal SmartPengguna. Well done.
Do you have a blog ? wish to add you to my entrepreneurs' blogroll.
Saw that "portal would be expanded to include the hospitality industry, and small-and-medium enterprises within three to five months. ". Great.. looking forward to that.
It came to my mind there are at least 3 ways hypermarts can "cheat" the system to gain advantage on the price comparison.
1. Quantity
Provide only a small quantity for low price.
2. Quality
Provide lower quality goods for and price it at lowest price among competitors.
3. Delay
Delay updating the latest price if price comparison is at its advantage