Be aware of common courier and shipping scams, and here's how you can avoid them

Here’s how you can enjoy a safer online shopping experience

The holiday season is almost here and with it comes sale, sale, and more sales! Whether it is in the mall or on your favorite e-commerce platforms, now is the perfect time to start looking for Christmas gifts for your loved ones (and yourself, too!).

 

On top of amazing price deals and a wide array of product selection, online shopping continues to be preferred by many because of the convenience it offers – just place an order and wait for it to arrive at your doorstep. However, some people tend to take advantage of the increased online shopping activity, especially during sale seasons, to scam innocent shoppers out of their money.

As stories of courier and shipping scams become more rampant on social media these days, Ninja Van Philippines has listed down some of the common tactics used by delivery scammers and ways to keep them at bay to ensure a safer online shopping experience, especially during 12.12 and other holiday sales.

 

Courier and shipping scams

COD scams

While there is an increase in the number of Filipinos that use digital payment methods over the past year, cash-on-delivery (COD) is still the preferred mode of payment for consumers in the Philippines when it comes to purchasing online. This is mostly attributed to the fact that many want to ensure the product’s condition first before paying for it.

 

However, scammers are now finding ways to use COD payment for their own gain. Usually, their tactics involve luring individuals or family members who assist to receive on behalf of customers to pay in cash for parcels that they did not buy or did not match their expected purchases. To appear more convincing, they pose as legitimate online sellers on their fake websites or place fake ads on social media.

 

How to avoid it?: Ninja Van Philippines advises the public to be extra vigilant when it comes to receiving deliveries. Double check if the parcel matches the order ID on your mobile app and reject payment if anything seems suspicious. If you are expecting a parcel that requires COD, let your family members know what it is and when to expect them just in case you are not able to receive them yourself.

 

Fake contests

Have you ever got a random text message or a call saying that you won a certain raffle or contest and that in order to receive your prize, you need to pay for the shipping fee upon delivery? Now before you get all too excited, it is best to first check the legitimacy of these claims because this is another modus operandi that scammers often use to trick unsuspecting individuals.

 

How to avoid it?: The rule of thumb is if it’s too good to be true then it must be a fraud, especially if you don’t remember joining any raffles or contests. Just to be sure, you can always contact the organiser that’s holding the promotion to inquire. This is also a great way to inform them if any scammers are using their name for illegal means. Lastly, raffles and contests run by legitimate companies will not require you to pay any sort of fee to claim your prize, so that can be your biggest indicator.

 

Phishing links

Scammers are now also adept in using technology to trick people. They send text messages or emails saying that you have a delivery to confirm or to pick up at the post office, which contain a “confirmation” link that will unknowingly redirect you to a phishing website. Most of the time, these websites use URLs that look similar to those of reputable couriers. These sites will request for you to input your personal information including your banking details to supposedly pay  the handling fee of your package. 

 

How to avoid it?: When you get sketchy text messages or emails from unknown sources, do not download attachments or click on links, especially if they ask for your personal data such as passwords, credit card number, etc. as well as OTP codes. Make it a point to always verify the sender’s email address and check the website URL carefully before inputting any information.

 

Other tips

Another thing you should be wary of nowadays are riders posing as employees of different courier companies to lure people into paying for things they did not order. With this, Ninja Van Philippines is urging its customers to stay vigilant and always verify if you’re transacting with an authorized Ninja before receiving a delivery or giving any forms of payment:

 

After receiving your parcels, dispose of your airway bill (AWB) properly to protect your personal data by cutting it up, wetting it and rubbing out the details, or crossing out your personal information, QR code, and the barcode with a marker.

 

To protect both its shippers and shoppers, Ninja Van Philippines Philippines has been working closely with relevant stakeholders to tackle these delivery scams. If you ever come across any suspicious parcels or payment requests using Ninja Van Philippines’s brand, reject the delivery and report to Ninja Van Philippines.

 

Ninja Van Philippines salutes the people who keep the country’s logistics sector moving #ThankYouForDelivering

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of anticipation when you know that your online purchases are coming your way. So when you think of it, delivery riders do more than just hand over your parcels to you, because they brave the roads and endure the heat of the sun or the pouring rain to bring you happiness right at your doorstep! As such, courier and logistics companies like Ninja Van Philippines and their personnel have become an invaluable part of the community with their role of ensuring that parcels get delivered on time and in best condition to their recipients nationwide.

 

By continuously boosting its efforts to focus on delivery speed and developing more value-added services for its customers, Ninja Van Philippines was able to observe a 150% growth in its parcel volumes in the past 12 months. With this accomplishment, it aims to recognize and celebrate the people who make every Ninja Van delivery possible – from riders and drivers to warehouse employees, customer service representatives and more – by highlighting their stories of perseverance and hard work.

 

Vanessa Brillo - Delivery Rider turned Linehaul Coordinator

Vanessa first started working at Ninja Van as a delivery rider in 2017. During her first week, she already showed her resourcefulness and dedication to her job by choosing to deliver items by foot since she wasn’t able to secure her own motorcycle yet. This attitude really impressed her boss and led to her promotion.

 

After being promoted twice, she is now a Linehaul Coordinator and is in charge of making sure that Ninja Van’s trucking services run smoothly. She’s also responsible for scheduling, troubleshooting, and managing her own team. “Always focus on your goal, and assess how your skills can bring value to the business,” she said.

 

Christine Runa - Customer Service Representative

Complaints and irate customers are not new in the delivery industry, but for Christine, a customer service representative for Ninja Van, her priority is always to provide the best assistance she can to any customers. “When I deal with angry customers, I make sure to take a deep breath and engage with them calmly. I tell myself that the conversation is never personal.” she shared. 

 

Despite the challenges entailed in her job, Christine finds comfort in being part of a team that works well together. “Our management team is very supportive and approachable, so we always feel comfortable communicating with them,” she said. “We also feel appreciated through various employee programs that recognize our hard work.”

 

Arjoe Mae Santos - Sort Compliance Officer

As a Sort Compliance Officer for Ninja Van Philippines, Arjoe has the important task of ensuring process quality in warehouse operations. The high expertise she showed for the role didn’t go unnoticed by her managers who decided to assign her more supervisory responsibilities to help her hone her skills and potential.

 

Arjoe’s hard work paid off as she became a subject matter expert for Integrated Operations Audit, and became an auditor. “This was truly one of my career milestones. Despite sacrificing time away from family, I’m proud that I was able to deliver,” she said.

 

Karen Mae Alemana - Regional Area Manager

Karen wears many hats. At home, she is a solo parent to a 6 year old daughter. At work, she is a regional area manager. Her subordinates fondly call her “mama,” who leads everybody and makes sure that everything runs smoothly at work.

 

She was hired as a Station Head at Ninja Van Philippines in 2018, becoming one of the very few female employees in a male-dominated company at that time. Soon after, she was directly promoted to Regional Area Manager because of her stellar performance. In a short amount of time, Karen has made an indelible impact in Ninja Van Philippines and has become successful purely because of her hard work and passion. “No matter how insignificant you feel, you are still capable of making a positive impact,” she said.

 

Vanessa, Christine, Arjoe, and Karen are just four of over 7,000 staff and employees of Ninja Van Philippines who play a big part in the company’s commitment to hassle-free deliveries. By learning of their stories, Ninja Van hopes to encourage its partners and customers to show their support and gratitude to these unsung heroes through small acts of kindness. 

 

So everytime you receive a parcel, don’t forget to say a simple “thank you” to your delivery rider and even offer them a glass of water or a snack, especially during sale seasons like 11.11 where many are just a little too excited (and sometimes, impatient) to get their deliveries. You can also make it a habit to leave a good review to show appreciation for the service you received. All of these go a long way for everyone working behind the scenes to keep the country’s logistics sector moving.

 

Preparing for the holiday rush? Here are some tips from Ninja Van!

Historically, the last quarter of the year is when most Filipino online sellers make the most sales, thanks to double-digit shopping events like 9.9, 10.10, 11.11, and 12.12. By now, most Pinoys are already in a Christmas-y mood, so you better make sure you’re there when shopping activity starts to pick up.

With more and more Filipinos shopping online, you can be sure the season is going to be crazy. You’ll still get your last-minute shoppers, but many will be planning out their purchases way before the end of the year. They’re probably already window-shopping by now, checking out upcoming promos, and timing their purchases to get the best possible deals.

Gearing up for the last shopping season of 2021 

Whether you sell through your own website, on ecommerce platforms like Shopee or Lazada, or on social media like Instagram or Facebook, preparing early is key. 

Check out these tips from Ninja Van and end the year strong!

1. Prepare your storefront

Ensure that product descriptions are accurate and detailed enough for customers to make an informed decision – this will save you the trouble of needing to answer potential questions stemming from vague, confusing, or incomplete product descriptions. On top of this, double-check your inventory and item availability, and make sure you’re using high-quality photos, and that they showcase your products’ best features. 

If you’re selling through your own website, make sure it works properly and looks good. Don’t forget to test and ensure that your website can handle a surge in traffic! Do a stress test using any of these seven tools.

It’s also important to plan your product prices. You can do this with the help of a spreadsheet, like the one in the photo below. By listing down your cost, usual product price, and sale price, you’ll be better able to track your profit margins per product. Our spreadsheet also has space for you to stay on top of sale period start and end dates, discount codes, and campaign types.

Download spreadsheet template here

2. Stock up on your best-selling products

What are your most in-demand products, the ones that always sell out? Make sure you have enough of these and promote them more. If you plan to sell these at discounted rates, let your customers and social media followers know early. This way, you’ll get a head start on competitors and avoid drowning in the marketing clutter in the days leading up to major sale events.

#NinjaTip: You could retarget customers who previously bought these products, viewed the products on your website but didn’t actually make a purchase or have these items sitting in their Lazada or Shopee carts.

3. Use data to understand sales trends

To get a better understanding of which products will sell and which won’t, use data analytics. Check out tools like Google Trends or Better Lemonade Stand’s Instant Product Evaluator Tool. You could also tap analytics to reveal your top sales channels. Where do you sell the most? Double down on selling there during sale season.

4. Cyberstalk the competition

Stalking doesn’t need to be creepy. It pays to check what your competitors are selling, what their pricing looks like, and how they’re engaging with their customers. Visit their website and ecommerce shops incognito. On your computer’s browser, go into incognito mode or open a private browsing session. On Shopee or Lazada, here’s how to do it. Visit their social media pages, too. This will give you a better idea of what you’re up against and will allow you to adjust accordingly.

Better yet, become their customer. Buy something from them and see what the experience is like. 

#NinjaTip: Try to keep your pricing within the range of similar stores’ prices to stay competitive.

5. Supercharge your promotions

Announce discounts and promos early to give your customers something to look forward to. As they say, “Daig ng maagap ang masipag (being early beats working hard).” Check out these five promotion strategiesthat have been gaining popularity lately.

6. Make the most of social media

About 65% of internet users in the Philippines go on social media to research brands, so it should go without saying that having an active social media presence is so important for sellers. Post quality content regularly on your platforms of choice and talk to your followers. Maybe even explore TikTok if that’s where your customers hang out (and if you have the self-confidence for it!). Create attractive graphics with simple and free tools, like Canva.

But don’t just focus on your own social media channels; be visible on others’ pages, too. Consider engaging with influencers who are a good fit for your brand, and foster relevant, mutually beneficial brand partnerships.

7. Proactively engage your customers 

44% of Filipino shoppers chat with sellers before making a purchase. As such, it’s important to leave a good impression. Keep it classy and respond promptly, politely, and cheerfully. Answer their questions thoroughly. You can find more customer service dos and don’ts in our guide here.

#NinjaTip: Consider deploying chatbots or hiring customer service agents to help ensure quality customer service throughout the shopping season. Don’t be scared of automation: turns out 55% of Pinoy shopperssurveyed are comfortable with talking to a bot for online store transactions.

8. Offer free shipping

Offering free shipping is one way to win customers and stand out in a sea of sellers. It could also prevent “abandoned carts”—sometimes, customers intend to buy something but change their minds after seeing how much the shipping will cost. Read our guide to find out how you can make free shipping work for you.

9. Pack your items properly

Seal everything and pack items tightly to prevent damage during transit. A good rule of thumb is to have three layers of packaging: the primary or innermost layer; the secondary layer, which is typically sturdier than the primary layer and helps protect the package from damage during delivery; and the outermost layer, which has details about the package to help logistics providers sort items.

#NinjaTip: Reinforce your branding in the primary packaging by adding your shop name, logo, and other relevant brand elements. If you’re new to branding, check out our Branding 101 guide.

10. Ship orders out on time

Make sure to hand over your parcels to your logistics providers on time. Customers hate late deliveries and will let you know in their reviews! Actively managing customers’ expectations is key. Because sale season is going to be super busy, shipping will definitely be delayed (trust me on this). 

#NinjaTip: Try adding 3 more working days to the expected delivery date. If it arrives earlier, great! If it arrives later, then it’s not as bad.

For reliable service, partner with trusted names in last-mile delivery, like Ninja Van!

Navigating the online business world with the Ninja Van blog

Get a head start and make the most of the year-end shopping frenzy by preparing early. By offering great products and a stellar customer experience, you’ll be helping your customers end the year with their hearts—and their carts—full. Visit the Ninja Van blog to read the full article, and to know more useful tips and tricks for your online business!

innovative logistics solutions.

For more information, visit www.ninjavan.co/en-ph.