20 February 2018 12:11 am Views - 2572
Digital Market Places
Digital marketplaces are fast penetrating to the consumer worldwide. In the United Kingdom and the so called developing world 40% of purchase of consumers is online visiting the market places online and the items are either delivered or sent to collection points near the residences. Mega platforms are spreading worldwide including Sri Lanka with the advent of modern technology used by the Sri Lankan consumer via 23 million mobile phones and the internet replaced by the traditional land phones. Sri Lankan business community no longer visit Hong Kong, Singapore, China, or any other market place physically due to the utilization of modern technology and online or bank transfers which are somewhat risky unlike in the west such frauds and happenings are rare due to regulatory powers of the State, Consumer Organizations, Media, and good business practices.
Advice from the magazine “WHICH” and Government and Chambers of Commerce monitors references give protection and guidance to the consumer in dealing with the trader. How safe are the consumer in the west when things go wrong due to scams, frauds, and unethical trade practices which are rare are monitored and supervised by and regulated by the Department of Trade and Industry, Powerful Consumer Organizations, with the powerful media with well-educated consumer backed by the well-organized consumer organizations unlike in Sri Lanka where the main regulator Consumer Affairs Authority being one of the most inert and inefficient white elephants giving priority to collect fines from the small trader instead of educating the consumer, trader and the regulator for the betterment of the consumer which is the least looked after segment of the society always in the receiving end. Chambers of commerce and Sri Lanka are traditional organizations not modernized the services to suit the modern challenges and requirements when other parts of the world Chambers and vibrant active and takes the trader and the state to the right direction in this competitive environment. The day is nearing faster a fair cross section of the consumer will be modernized to utilize the local and international platforms and digitalized online buying.
e-Commerce and buying products online
e-Commerce buying or produces services online have transformed the marketplace to a new era with modern technology. Digitalization is embracing education, technology, commerce, business, health and many other sectors in Sri Lanka and South Asia with ripple effects of world trends. Consumer International has chosen the topic for the next world consumer day which falls on March 15, 2018, as “Making Digital Market Place Fairer and Accessible and safe to the consumer across the Globe”. e-commerce and buying products and services online have transformed the consumer with connected devices and payment methods can buy anything from music to take away travel accommodation buying things events where these new way of trade has opened vast array of choices, requiring access, safety, consumer movement in a better digital world. A Ministry is now set you for Ministry of Telecommunication and Digital infra-structure with entering into an MoU with digital broad band with “Heavy Technologies”, “e Gram Pital Project”, and MoU with UNDP. With the Ministry and ripple effects of the world trends digitization process is bound to reach faster than expected and the consumer is warned to be ready for the impending changes in due course.
Digitalization process in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is still lagging behind digitalization when neighbour India and even Bangladesh has surpassed us. Bangladesh has introduced biometric ID’s for their 110 million citizens which is a base for digitalization in other areas, when Sri Lanka is struggling to issue ID’s for her 21.2 citizens. Sri Lanka’s 10 million is saved by shifting X-ray files to indicate the value of the process in economic and improvement of quality of life. In the United Kingdom the Nation Health service is digitalized and centralized to give the best care health in the world, when USA is trailing behind to study the system for their citizen health regime. Line Minister appears to work hard with his available resources for the introduction of the digitalization regime to revolutionize the life of Sri Lankan citizens.
Expansion of digitization and way forward
Digitization will not be confined to consumerism as it will not be developed and expanded on isolation. Entire infra-structure and systems will have to be changed modernized and digitalized to suit health, education, administration, economy and the other areas in modern life facing challenges on innovations - the ministry has pledged to act upon. Digitalized system will be fast safe and convenient to the citizen for development and a better life, provided it is given with adequate safeguards, with organized consumer movement as in the West where the consumer is organized with the media and the organized bodies and publications such as “WHICH” magazine in UK which provides information and protection to the consumer with activism with the assistance of the consumer, trader, industrialist and the government (Department of Trade and Industry).
In Sri Lanka too it is the duty of the “ailing Consumer Affairs Authority” with no proper guidance and strategy to protect guide and look after the consumer whilst guiding the industrialist trader and business community the door step of the digital world. CAA can initiate and catalyse the consumer digitalization for the sake and benefit of the consumer/citizen. Let this be a warning for the Line Minister and the Government to bring about changes in the Consumer Affairs Authority [CAA], the main Regulator in Sri Lanka with enormous powers to act upon to protect the consumer and regularize trade to assist the trader, industrialist and the development of the nation with many issues on economic industrial and prosperity.
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