Shopee wants to ensure M’sians can buy face masks at affordable prices

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, face masks are one of the items bought by people all over the world. This, of course, comes after hand sanitiser. Recently, Malaysia banned the export of face masks in order to ensure sufficient supply to keep up with the demand. Meanwhile, companies like Shopee is also working closely together with manufacturers and distributors in the local and regional network to offer Malaysians access to affordable face masks online.

According to Shopee, their platform has both local and cross-border sellers that are able to offer face masks in larger quantities and at better prices to end consumers. Shopee reiterated that they do not dictate the prices of goods on their platform but have asked their sellers to be considerate of the prices to ensure its affordability to all Malaysians.

They said that their sellers are pricing the face masks between RM60 and RM85 for the 50-piece 3-ply surgical masks. This is below the regulated price of RM100. The government’s ceiling price for the 3 ply face mask is set at RM2 per piece and a box of 50 is priced at RM100.

The government has recently announced that they will soon lower the ceiling price of face masks from the current RM2. The new price will be known after the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs conducts a meeting with members of the industry. Shopee said in a statement that they are committed to the national effort against the COVID-19 pandemic.

When we checked, we saw some affordable options for face masks on Shopee. One seller called sliprain.my is selling 50 pieces of 3 ply disposable anti-dust earloop protective face masks at RM60.00. Meanwhile, another seller called pro_shop is selling 50 pieces of 3 ply masks for RM89. However, these prices do not include the delivery fee, which depends on where you live. You can discover more deals on Shopee’s website or via their app.

Shopee also offered tips to general buyers. They urge shoppers to read the description and reviews of the products before making a decision to buy an item. They also asked customers to use Shopee Live Chat to verify prices or to obtain more information from sellers. The chat feature can be found under the seller’s name and you can start your conversation with a single click.

Most importantly, Shopee has asked the people to report overpriced face masks. All you have to do is use the “Report this Product” function on the top right corner of any product listing. You can email them at help@support.shopee.com.my or call them at 03-2777-9222 between 9:00am and 6:00pm (Monday to Sunday including public holidays) to make a report.

For better protection, please ensure that you purchase from sellers with the Shopee Guarantee sign. This function enables Shopee to hold your payment in escrow to ensure that you have successfully received your product before releasing the funds to the seller. These tips do not just apply to face masks but to all other products in general. Shopee notes that during this period of MCO there will be slight delays in the delivery of the orders.

Shopee has curated a ‘Shop Safely From Home‘ campaign during this period and is giving discounts up to 80% with deals from as low as RM0.44. This campaign is set to last until the 4th of April. Precautionary measures are being taken by the company such as disinfecting warehouses and vehicles, and temperature checks are also conducted for workers, drivers and riders.

Currently, there are 1,796 COVID-19 cases and 19 deaths in Malaysia. Meanwhile, 45 patients are being treated in ICU while 199 patients have recovered and discharged.

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