As a leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia, Shopee has introduced new regulations aimed at enhancing user experience. This article outlines key updates in Shopee’s new policy, including Shopee’s new cancellation policy in Thailand, a new return policy, and updates to the Late Shipment Rate (LSR) penalty system.

1. New Seller Assessment Rules

Shopee has implemented new assessment rules targeting sellers who have not made sales over extended periods. Starting September 3, sellers with no sales for consecutive periods of a month or longer risk removal from the platform. This initiative aims to evaluate sellers’ overall performance and improve operational efficiency as part of Shopee’s new policy.

Assessment Criteria: These rules apply to sellers who have been on the platform for over 90 days and will evaluate five key areas: daily sales, frequency of new product launches, pricing strategies, fulfillment capabilities, and product quality. Sellers will receive monthly ratings to provide clear feedback on their performance according to Shopee’s new assessment policy.

Scoring determines seller levels, with each level offering benefits like increased traffic support and marketing resources.

Elimination Mechanism: Sellers with no sales data or low scores face removal to maintain platform health. However, they can reduce this risk by consistently launching new products, even if their performance in other areas is weak.

This system presents both challenges and opportunities, encouraging sellers to improve daily operations and pricing strategies.

2. Updated Order Cancellation Rules in Thailand

To help suppliers minimize workload, Shopee Thailand will implement a new order cancellation policy starting October 3, 2024. Buyers will have the flexibility to cancel orders before packages enter the logistics system without affecting the failure rate.

Cancellation Conditions:

• Supported Delivery Methods: Buyers can cancel orders at any time before the package is received by the platform.
• Exempt Products: For certain items like food or pre-sale products, cancellations must occur within one hour of ordering, provided the seller hasn’t begun processing the order.
• Unsupported Shipping Methods: Orders shipped via unsupported methods can be canceled within one hour if they haven’t shipped yet.

3. New Return Policy

In response to new consumer protection laws, the Office of Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) has updated policies to strengthen consumer rights. For cash-on-delivery (COD) orders, buyers can now inspect packages before making payment. If a product is not as described, they can refuse to accept it and return it immediately, in line with Shopee’s new policy.

Return Process:

• Delivery: Buyers can request to check the package contents upon delivery.
• Product Inspection: In front of the delivery personnel, buyers can verify if the product matches the description.
• Decision to Accept or Return: If the product meets expectations, buyers can pay and accept it; if not, they can refuse and return it.
• Refund: After the product is returned, the seller must process the refund according to platform policies or their agreement with the buyer.

4. Changes to Late Shipment Rate (LSR) Penalties

Shopee has announced significant changes to the Late Shipment Rate (LSR) penalties, effective September 16, 2024. The penalty threshold will drop from 15% to 10%, requiring sellers to strictly control shipment times to avoid penalties, which are an integral part of Shopee’s new policy.

Tips for Sellers:

• Optimize Inventory Management: Maintain sufficient stock to prevent delays.
• Enhance Logistics Efficiency: Work closely with logistics providers to improve shipping speed.
• Streamline Order Processing: Use automated tools to reduce processing time.
• Strengthen Supply Chain Management: Regularly assess suppliers for reliable delivery.
• Customer Communication: Keep customers informed about potential delays and offer solutions.

These new regulations reflect Shopee’s commitment to understanding user needs and maintaining platform balance, enhancing user experience, and supporting industry growth. Shopee’s new policy requires sellers to adapt quickly, presenting both challenges and opportunities to improve daily operations, product offerings, and overall performance.