Hong Kong – Carousell, a Singaporean smartphone and web-based consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer marketplace, has recently announced that users can now pay for items and arrange for tracked deliveries through their app. These features will be facilitated by AlipayHK and SFHK, offering users to buy and sell more conveniently with greater assurance.
Through the company’s buyer protection, payment to sellers is withheld until the buyer verifies receipt of the items as described. This initiative lowers the risk of non-delivery scams for buyers and protects sellers from buyers making false claims to get refunds.
Users can further pay directly within the app using AlipayHK and credit cards, with the assurance that their payment information is securely handled with global security standards by the payment processing partners.
Sellers also need not worry about the preferred payment method of the buyer, given that funds can be transferred directly into their bank account once the transaction is completed. This approach likewise offers a safer option for sellers concerned about buyers not paying after receiving items, and vice versa for buyers who worry about not receiving items after paying.
Moreover, Carousell has teamed up with SFHK to make item delivery more reliable and convenient by incorporating logistics arrangements within the platform’s checkout page and tracking orders on the order details page.
Sellers can then drop the parcel off at SF Business Stations or SF Stores, and buyers can pick up the parcel at SFHK’s self-operated network points, eliminating the need to match each other’s schedules for meet-ups.
Buyers will then have more assurance when shopping, as sellers will not be allowed to enable the official payments and delivery options if they do not meet the criteria. This includes review rating and order completion rate, or if there are multiple instances where orders are not fulfilled.
Meanwhile, for buyers who choose to proceed with the transaction without using Carousell’s payment system, the firm further recommends that they meet in person, allowing them to inspect the items before making payment.
Vishal Salunkhe, vice president and head of commercial at Carousell, said, “We are excited to have the support of leading payment and logistics partners to offer trusted solutions and make it even more convenient for our users.”
“Carousell has been continually working to enhance the user experience to make it even safer, easier, and faster to buy and sell, so as to encourage more Hong Kongers to join us in our mission to make secondhand the first choice,” added Salunkhe.
Charlize Liu, head of public affairs and communications at SFHK, further commented, “SFHK is aligned with Carousell’s goal in promoting the circular economy. By increasing the convenience of shopping secondhand through our strong and extensive network of more than 1,000 SFHK’s self-operated network points, we hope more people will continue to make eco-conscious shopping decisions.”
