Shopee's Smart Pickup Store in Taiwan Faces Scrutiny Over Reported Thefts and Seller Concerns

Taiwanese E-commerce seller reports multiple thefts and negative impacts on their business using Shopee's automated pickup system.

The image showcases a "Shopee Store-to-Store" service, provided by a news source.

A digital marketing seller in Taoyuan, Mr. Qiu, has reported that he experienced five instances of theft within a month while using Shopee's unmanned smart pickup store for shipments. While Shopee has compensated for some of the losses, the incidents have significantly damaged Mr. Qiu's business reputation. Mr. Qiu stated that this issue never occurred when using traditional store methods and that the supposedly advanced smart pickup system is now problematic. He now exclusively ships via the standard store system, and urges Shopee to identify the root cause and offer a stable platform for e-commerce sellers.

The article continues with the description of unmanned smart pickup stores. Photo credit: Wu Yongping.

The stolen items were all hair care products. Mr. Qiu explained that his company has been in online marketing for 10 years, selling products on Shopee. Previously, they shipped via Shopee's regular store, and customers received their orders without any issues. However, after a new Shopee smart pickup store opened near his company last month, they switched to using it. Soon after, they received customer returns. One package was found empty, and four others had been replaced with miscellaneous items. Surveillance cameras are present in the shipping area. After providing evidence to Shopee, compensation was granted for two of the stolen items. Two other claims are still under review, while Shopee denied compensation for one item, citing unclear shipping label footage.

The shipped products were originally hair care products, but were replaced with beverages, cat food, ear-cleaning tools, and other items. Provided by the affected person.

Mr. Qiu noted that his company's hair care products were replaced with items such as beverages, cat food, ear-cleaning tools, and cheap electronics, and a product labeled with another shipper's information. This suggests that the goods were stolen, and other items were randomly placed inside as replacements. He suspects that the problems stem from Shopee's logistics processes. He learned from Shopee's customer service that the compensation for the two compensated items came from the logistics company, confirming the logistics' negligence, but details were not disclosed.

The company's packing area with overhead cameras and additional stand-alone cameras. Photo credit: Wu Yongping.

Mr. Qiu mentioned that his business chose Shopee, as a multinational corporation, because of its strong system. He seeks a stable trading environment. After the incidents, he inquired with Shopee's customer service to find out the underlying problem but was informed that the matter was being handled, with no further information available. He is now refraining from using the smart pickup stores and has switched back to traditional stores. Through conversations with other e-commerce vendors, Mr. Qiu discovered that many people have had similar experiences.

The unmanned smart pickup store presents issues. Mr. Qiu only dares to ship through conventional store methods. Photo credit: Wu Yongping.

Mr. Qiu stated that customers' receipt of abnormal goods has affected his company's reputation. He is also perplexed that Shopee denied compensation for a package. Although the company's surveillance footage clearly showed the entire packing process and shipping label images, Shopee reduced his rating due to the incident and removed him from the "Preferred Seller" program. This has caused further damage and forced the company to install additional surveillance cameras in the shipping area. With the company's high shipping volume, employees are now stressed and worried about potential losses resulting from others' errors.

This article is from "Taoyuan Electronic Newspaper." Original article: "Shopee Smart Pickup Store Turns into Theft Hotspot? Taoyuan Seller Claims: 5 Items Stolen in 1 Month and Rating Downgraded"

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