Two officials: You market goods to merchants and suppliers and do not interfere with the offered prices
Consumers: “Online” platforms offer food commodities at prices that are higher than “traditional” stores
Tips for browsing e-commerce platforms and price comparison before purchasing.
Photography: Ashok Verma
Consumers said that e-commerce platforms in the local market offer food commodities at prices that are higher than their counterparts in traditional retail outlets (supermarkets and groceries), with rates that have doubled in some commodities.
They explained to «Emirates Today» that some platforms display food commodities in a misleading manner, as they appear as part of offers, but they are sold at high prices.
In turn, two officials of two e-commerce platforms said that the platforms offer goods to merchants and suppliers and do not interfere with the prices offered.
They advised consumers to "compare prices" before purchasing.
High prices
In detail, the consumer, Ahmed Salah, said that the prices of a number of food commodities in some e-commerce platforms are higher than their counterparts in traditional sales outlets, although it is normal for the opposite to be true, given the low operating costs of electronic platforms compared to outlets, in addition to the fact that electronic platforms have gained Known for offering goods at lower prices.
In turn, the consumer, Adam Abdel Hamid, said that he had monitored high prices for a number of food commodities on a number of e-commerce platforms, at rates nearly double.
He added that the price of a package of tea for a well-known brand (100 bags) on an e-commerce platform amounts to 23.50 dirhams, compared to a price ranging between 12 and 12.85 dirhams in traditional sales outlets, while the price of a package of coffee is 37 dirhams, compared to 32 dirhams for the same package in traditional sales stores without. Offers.
Misleading style
In the same context, consumer Muhammad Ali saw that some online shopping platforms exaggerate the prices of food commodities compared to traditional sales outlets, and he said that they offer commodities in a misleading manner, to appear as if they are part of offers, even though their price is higher than those in groceries and supermarkets.
He pointed out that he had bought from an online shopping platform a package of rice weighing one kilogram at 11.95 dirhams, in an offer that the platform said was a “discount” instead of the previous 16 dirhams, at a time when the same product is sold in traditional sales outlets at a price ranging between 10 and 10.95. Dirhams.
exploit demand
As for the consumer, Walid Abdo, he said: “The prices of e-commerce platforms are supposed to be low, but some platforms are taking advantage of the growth in demand, to offer food commodities at higher prices than those in traditional retail outlets.”
He emphasized that an electronic shopping platform offers a powdered milk commodity within a discount offer of 67 dirhams, at a time when the price of the product in traditional sales outlets is only 59.95 dirhams, referring to other commodities for edible oils, tea, and coffee, which are also sold at high prices on e-commerce platforms.
Dealers and suppliers
In addition, the executive sales director of an e-commerce platform, Ribal Olbek, attributed to «Emirates Today» the difference in prices between e-commerce platforms and traditional sales outlets, to various factors, the most prominent of which is that many “platforms” depend on offering goods to merchants and suppliers and not Interfering with the quoted prices.
He added that some e-commerce platforms offer goods in other categories, at lower prices compared to their counterparts in traditional stores, calling on consumers to search for the best prices for them.
In turn, the director and founder of the “Go Bazaar” electronic platform, Mahmoud Akrin, said that some e-commerce platforms raise the prices of some commodities in exchange for the offers offered, which confirms the importance of consumers resorting to “price comparison”, and browsing the platforms designated for that to choose the platforms that provide the appropriate and best prices. , instead of buying goods at high prices under the temptations of "offers".
Two experts advise “comparison” and “price comparison”
Ibrahim Al-Bahr, an expert in retail affairs and director of Al-Bahr Consulting Company, confirmed that the growth of awareness during the Corona virus pandemic of the role of electronic shopping platforms has increased the demand for them by large percentages, and stimulated the spread of their presence further.
He pointed out that some of these platforms resorted to increasing profits, whether by offering some products at high prices, or stimulating sales through offers.
Al-Bahr advised consumers not to shop randomly, and to adopt “price comparison” criteria before shopping, in addition to not shopping from unknown platforms.
In turn, the economist and retail affairs expert, Dr. Jamal Al-Saeedi, said that the free market policy adopted in the country allows competitive platforms and sales outlets to display products at different prices, which requires consumers to rely more on “discrimination” and “price comparison” before purchasing. from a specified port.
He added that this increases the demand for "platforms" that offer the lowest prices to consumers, especially in light of the high competitiveness in the retail trade sector.
Ibrahim Al-Bahr. From the source
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