Buying online in Thailand, why so hard?

[giddyup]

I want to buy a 2 channel sound system from Soken in Thailand, but the only way I can pay is by a bank transfer. This would involve a visit to my bank and then faxing details of the transaction to Soken to verify payment. I believe Lazada, InvadeIT and other online companies use the same process. Haven't they heard of Paypal or credit cards in Thailand? Oh, and before someone suggests just buying it from a store, this model isn't available at any shops yet.

Edited July 6, 2013 by giddyup

[MJCM]

Can't you transfer the money via Internet Banking and send the company a screenshot from your Transfer Slip via Email ?

[giddyup]

Can't you transfer the money via Internet Banking and send the company a screenshot from your Transfer Slip via Email ?

That sounds logical but they do ask for the transaction to be faxed. I'll email them and ask if they will accept what you suggest. So much easier to just hit a Paypal button though, plus you get that protection if something is broken or goes missing.

[robblok]

Can't you transfer the money via Internet Banking and send the company a screenshot from your Transfer Slip via Email ?

That sounds logical but they do ask for the transaction to be faxed. I'll email them and ask if they will accept what you suggest. So much easier to just hit a Paypal button though, plus you get that protection if something is broken or goes missing.

Invade It has paypal option but the exchange rate that paypal asks is bad. I just go to an atm and send the money and then tell them I send the money. It always goes well. I would not want to really visit the bank.

Yesterday I had to send a bit more money for a purchase 70k and I could not even do it on the atm machine. Had to go to the bank and it took forever. Took 2 different papers one to withdraw money from my account and an other to send it to the person.But they did help me good.

As for invade IT they are great with warantees.

Edited July 6, 2013 by robblok

[GreenSnapper]

Can't you transfer the money via Internet Banking and send the company a screenshot from your Transfer Slip via Email ?

That sounds logical but they do ask for the transaction to be faxed. I'll email them and ask if they will accept what you suggest. So much easier to just hit a Paypal button though, plus you get that protection if something is broken or goes missing.

Because of the protection. Don't forget Thai business ethics.

[PaullyW]

Guys, they are in the stone age. Pure and simple. Culturally, they do not value efficiency and in fact value the exact opposite.

Please have no illusions about it.

[kannot]

Guys, they are in the stone age. Pure and simple. Culturally, they do not value efficiency and in fact value the exact opposite.

Please have no illusions about it.

Never a truer word said.

[Lite Beer]

With InvadeIT you can pay by credit card, online bank transfer and paypal.

Simple.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

You can pay at any ATM.

Just press the buttons.

[robblok]

You can pay at any ATM.

Just press the buttons.

True.. but it depends on what limit is set for your account. But you are right. Problem is more that you have to inform the buyer of how much you send ect. Its not as easy as back home. Where i come from we got something like IDEAL. you pay straight from your bank on the site of the seller. its instant, and they ship the product the same day. Basically here they are eons behind.

[GreenSnapper]

With InvadeIT you can pay by credit card, online bank transfer and paypal.

Simple.

InvadeIT is farang owned. That's the reason their standards are higher. Probably the only shop in Thailand I'd order online.

[seajae]

I have used invade it and paid online no problems, bloody great service too, had it very quickly.

[giddyup]

With InvadeIT you can pay by credit card, online bank transfer and paypal.

Simple.

True, I incorrectly lumped them in with Soken.

[giddyup]

You can pay at any ATM.

Just press the buttons.

Still have to fax them (Soken) a copy of the transfer. It's a primitive way of doing business.

[giddyup]

I have used invade it and paid online no problems, bloody great service too, had it very quickly.

I'd be happy to use them if they had what I want.

[bangkokstick]

They are smart actually !

Why sellers do have to pay expensive Paypal or credit card fee ? Why facing a chargeback that American abuse and use even when they have received their product and that it's impossible to fight for a seller ?

The customer who wants some products just pay the fee to transfer and use online bangkok. The problem is not the shop it is the customer who doesn't use online bangkok in 2013.

Many are too used to think that they western rules are the best and they are wrong !

Edited July 6, 2013 by bangkokstick

[bangkokstick]

With InvadeIT you can pay by credit card, online bank transfer and paypal.

Simple.

InvadeIT is farang owned. That's the reason their standards are higher. Probably the only shop in Thailand I'd order online.

Ridiculous ! As if a 60 millions people country had only 1 good shop that accept onlne payment. You should look outside your farang life more often.

Tohome.com is the most famous Thai shop and it accepts online payment.

[giddyup]

They are smart actually !

Why sellers do have to pay expensive Paypal or credit card fee ? Why facing a chargeback that American abuse and use even when they have received their product and that it's impossible to fight for a seller ?

The customer who wants some products just pay the fee to transfer and use online bangkok. The problem is not the shop it is the customer who doesn't use online bangkok in 2013.

Many are too used to think that they western rules are the best and they are wrong !

I guess thousands of Ebay sellers are all dumb then.

[bangkokstick]

Yes they are ! But they usually only understand it when Paypal close their account.

If you have never done international online business you do not know what you are talking about so I will stop replying now.

Thank you.

[giddyup]

Yes they are ! But they usually only understand it when Paypal close their account.

If you have never done international online business you do not know what you are talking about so I will stop replying now.

Thank you.

I've made hundreds of transactions, both buying and selling on Ebay without any major hassles, but I guess that doesn't count as "international online business".

[SlideRiceFC]

Yes, I'm constantly astounded how far behind they are in that respect. I do know some Thai people that use and benefit from Paypal though. Thai ePay and Paysbuy I don't hear too much about but those also work here and I haven't seen any good e-commerce applications that remove the manual processes completely.

Paypal aside, as the OP also mentioned credit cards I feel this is an area that is sorely lacking. I did e-commerce before there was a Paypal and I had a rather pricey credit card processing account. But here although they may be available and I'm unaware of it the fact remains that most Thais don't have a proper credit card. They slap visa logos on all the cards but they are basically just atm cards with some debit functionality. I know some have some one-time-password options and virtual cards but this is still far different from the US where you can use your debit card just like you would a Visa card as long as your bank balance covers the purchase.

As for the person suggesting that using paypal is dumb and asking why the seller should pay...these are the costs of doing business. It's just like paying for rent or taxes. We don't do it for kicks. We do it because it makes things more efficient and saves us time which equates to money and opens the doors to new customers which also equates to more money. If you've had some bad experiences with paypal I assure you I have had the same things happen processing credit cards. There are scammers everywhere and Thailand is no exception. You have to decide what is right for your business. The OP is complaining that there simply aren't many options here. It's part of moving forward. What if all the shopping centers in Thailand suddenly took your backwards approach and said they don't want to process credit or debit because they didn't feel the need to be responsibility for the costs of processing payments or the risks incurred? Customers would be inconvenienced and sales would be lost. If you want run your online business like a noodle stall that's fine. But people don't go to a noodle stall expecting to use their credit card and people don't shop online expecting to have to leave their house and run around making payments and sending faxes.

[kannot]

Yes they are ! But they usually only understand it when Paypal close their account.

If you have never done international online business you do not know what you are talking about so I will stop replying now.

Thank you.

I've made hundreds of transactions, both buying and selling on Ebay without any major hassles, but I guess that doesn't count as "international online business".

Sh he;s not replying now thank goodness

[SeaVisionBurma]

Troll post removed, along with a reply quoting it

[GreenSnapper]

With InvadeIT you can pay by credit card, online bank transfer and paypal.

Simple.

InvadeIT is farang owned. That's the reason their standards are higher. Probably the only shop in Thailand I'd order online.

Ridiculous ! As if a 60 millions people country had only 1 good shop that accept onlne payment. You should look outside your farang life more often.

I didn't say that's the only shop accepting online payment. But it's the only shop I would order online. Because of the abysmal way Thais do business here. When you get cheated and scammed all the time at regular shops, I don't need to try their honesty and work ethics at online shops.

[stickylies]

i have bought numerous things online and could always pay by at least one of these VERY easy options:

. cash on delivery

. paypal

. pickup (and pay) at local 7/11

[stickylies]

with Lazada you can pay at 7/11 or cash on delivery.

[asupeartea]

Can't you transfer the money via Internet Banking and send the company a screenshot from your Transfer Slip via Email ?

That sounds logical but they do ask for the transaction to be faxed. I'll email them and ask if they will accept what you suggest. So much easier to just hit a Paypal button though, plus you get that protection if something is broken or goes missing.

PayPal got hacked and so is not available on some "highly secure" sites. "" due to some local IT people's obsessive security and they don't accept hacked >> fixed >> OK now.

[giddyup]

with Lazada you can pay at 7/11 or cash on delivery.

Lazada doesn't sell what I want.

[giddyup]

i have bought numerous things online and could always pay by at least one of these VERY easy options:

. cash on delivery

. paypal

. pickup (and pay) at local 7/11

Go to the Soken website and you will see that the ONLY option is to pay by bank transfer, and they aren't the only Thai online company to use this method.

[Donnie Brasco]

There's a "man bag" outfit that keeps popping up on my screen.

If I actually wanted one of these manbags it would be impossible to purchase.

No English (that I can find . . . I would be suitably humbled if I had overlooked a link.

No outlet address

Just a lot of "Dig me and all the Facebook, Twitter, YouTube action. Lookame and my friends modeling bags on soi Thonglor. Look at all the Thai on this site. We only want to sell to Thais. We do not care that the whole purpose of an online business is global access.

Look at the dumd@$$ FACT that in a global market (hell, even the local regional market, you need English to sell. I guess they don't want to be actually hassled by operating an actual business.

A perfect example of just how NOT to run an online business.

Daddy or "uncle" must be rightly pissed off at his stage of he game.