Netbuilder (M) Sdn Bhd is officially established in 1999, a rare Internet services provider who overlooks the Technology Bubble untill the current pragmatic practice of E-commerce development.

They offer services such as:

• Online Payment - Malaysian’s companies are facing difficulties in receiving online payment because Malaysia has been blacklisted by several international major online payment providers. NetBuilder is dedicated to provide solution on receiving online payment for business. The services can be further categorized into two – local financial instituitions and international online payment provider (such as PayPal, WorldPay).
• Website Development - They help to design website for various purposes for their clients. There are 3 type of packages offered: Weblite Package (for corporate or personal website); ECwebsite Package (for display or sell products online); and Portalwebsite Package (for online community and content-rich website).
• Online Marketing - Netbuilder know-how on variety of the online marketing channels which can be applied in different industry and budget.

Besides that, Netbuilder also offers products like:

• MyMall – This is an e-catalog and online shop. MyMall is currently FOC(Normally this system worth RM10k+ on the market) as long as you are a subscriber of NetBuilder WebStation or WebPro Hosting package.
• Xoops MyMall Module – A content management system.

Some of the recent projects by Netbuilder are Mobile Money, Nesh, IPS Corporate Advisory and many more. For more details, you can check out at their homepage, www.netbuilder.com.my or interested to read about their newsletter, click here.

No doubt, E-Commerce is playing a huge impact in the changing technology environment. Netbuilder is definitely just one of the many other sites that made it right through the market because of E-commerce advancement. Overall, Netbuilder is giving good sight to their clients on the usage of the Internet to do business.

Corporate blogging provides a clear mind map or editorial guidelines of overall marketing or communication strategy to its employees and third parties with organization communication plan and media mix. Besides that, it encourages employee participation in contribution of expertise, free discussion of issues or topics and deal with it, collective intelligence, be a direct communication between various layers of an organization and shares their views with others employees, teams or spokespersons publicly. Furthermore, it can be used to announce new products and services, explain and clarify policies of the company and to react on public criticism on certain issues. Business blog can interact with a target market on a personal level by building a level of credibility and asking for their feedback on products and services.

One of the pros of corporate blogging is posts and comments are easy to reach and follow by employees due to centralized hosting and generally structured conversation threads. Besides that, it can be more accessible among the executives since the corporate blogging are an “unparalleled information gathering mechanism”. Furthermore, a search able archive of thoughts and ideas can be created and jotting down within an hour through corporate blogging that cost more cheaper than other ways. Lastly, executives can receive the important information from employees and customers’ questions and feedback that will be permanently recorded on the blog and increases the efficiency while decreases the time wasted on needless e-mails.

However, corporate blogging might make it easy for defamation and invasion of privacy or to breach information security and loss of company confidentiality. (Wired News, 2005) Hence, this fear has stopped 22 percent of employees from writing a corporate blog. Besides that, it will create an expectation of updating the blog regularly and the time that taken in writing a blog will cause loss of $ 759 billion in productivity every year. Additionally, a new style of communication will be mastered since corporate blogging become popular in these recent years. In conclusion, corporate blogging is getting important for corporation to deliver the message privately or publicly since it has brought many pros even thought the cons come along with it.

For the additional information, please refer those links:

1. http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/28/news/companies/pluggedin_fortune/index.htm

2. http://www.thenewpr.com/wiki/pmwiki.php/Resources/CEOBlogsList

3.http://mariosundar.wordpress.com/2008/05/19/the-5-types-of-corporate-blogs-with-examples/

4.http://blogs.wsj.com/biztech/2008/06/30/most-corporate-blogs-are-unimaginative-failures/

There are various countries including Malaysia are implementing e-government. The implementation of e-government started since the initiation of Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) in 1996 by the Malaysian government. This implementation has improved on how the government operates internally and also how it delivers services to the people of Malaysia. It seeks to improve the convenience, accessibility and quality of interactions with citizens and businesses. At the same time, it will improve information flows and processes within government to improve the speed and quality of policy development, coordination and enforcement. The implementation e-government would bring benefits to the public administration and Malaysian in several ways. It can generate savings on data collection and transmission.

The 7 projects of the Electronic Government Flagship Application:

1. Project Monitoring System (SPP II)

2. Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS)

3. Generic Office Environment (GOE)

4. Electronic Procurement (EP)

5. Electronic Services (E-Services)

6. Electronic Labour Exchange (ELX)

7. E-Syariah

Citizen’s Adoption Strategies

Generally, new technologies are forcing governments to be particularly considerate to time. In order to make right decision and avoid falling behind, governments must identify and resolve the different issues that have arisen from the transaction period during which traditional and e-government co-exist. Government should guide and control the transformation of government into e-government rather than just focusing on introduction of ICTs. Meanwhile, the use of ICT to strengthen the involvement of citizens and businesses in public decision must be progress at the same time.

Related links:

1.http://www.mait.com/admin/enews_images/MAIT%20Country%20Intelligence%20eNews96_37.pdf

2.http://www.intanbk.intan.my/psimr/articles/Article1%20-%20Full.pdf

Related article – A review on UK to get tough with illegal downloader from My E-Commerce blog and Illegal music downloads hit record high

- Understand as much as you can about how the internet auctions work, what your obligation are as a buyer, and what the seller’s obligations are before you bid.

- Watch out for “Advance-fee demand” – you need to look carefully at any seller of goods or services who wants you to send checks or money orders immediately to a post office box, before you receive the goods or services.

- Find out what actions the websites takes if a problem occurs and consider insuring the transaction and shipment.

- Do not simply disclose your personal data – if you see e-mail messages from someone you do not know that ask you for personal data for examples, credit card number, account number, or password, do not just send the data without knowing more about who is asking.

- Review the feedback rating for the seller, and use common sense; if the seller has a history of negative feedback, then the participants do not bid with the particular seller.

- Must ask the seller when delivery can be expected if not specified in the listing, and about warranty, exchange or return of merchandise you find unsatisfactory.

- To avoid unexpected cost, you must read the information in the listing about shipping and handling fees carefully. If not specified, you may want to clarify before you start bidding.

Related articles – How to prevent e-auction fraud and How to avoid online auction fraud

Mobile payments (also known as mobile web payments or WAP billing) is a collection of money from consumer via a mobile device such as their mobile phone, Smartphone, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or any other devices. With such application, it does brings advantages to the world of e-commerce and it’s relatively growing in Malaysia as well. Some of examples of mobile payments available in Malaysia are mobileExec and Mobile Money. To read more about Mobile Money, click on this link.

Both are using the concept of making payment transactions just through a mobile device to pay for goods and services anytime without having cash on hand, cheques or even physically present a store.

Besides MobileExec and Mobile Money, many other companies are also coming up with this concept to cater for their customers convenience. For example, Maxis; HGL Capital Berhad; CELCOM and many more. Maxis unveils mobile payment services news can be viewed here.

Mobile payments services indeed have a great potential and advantage. Consumers are more comfortable with low-value transactions over such non-traditional means. Common applications will include payment for transportation, parking, restaurants, convenience stores, retail outlets, e-tickets to name a few – typically for low-value items. This helps especially when consumers are in need of cash but doesn’t have any in hand, therefore with mobile payments they do not need to even search for an ATM machine to withdraw the needed money for the payment.

For a further knowledge, you can view a video on the right corner at the E-Commerce Videos section on E-Payment Benefits to Owners and Managers.

Pre-paid Vista Cash Card is issued by Four Oaks Bank & Trust Company that given the opportunity for consumers with poor credit record and young children by not spending

more than the balance on the card. Visa permits travelers access to money at automated teller machines in 65 countries and book the train tickets by offering prepaid cash card such as Metro Card in New York City.

Touch ‘n Go (TnG) smart card is used by Malaysian for electronic payment system to toll expressway and highway. It is expanding its business to retail purchase by starting with fast food industry that enables consumers to buy dough nut, burger or fast-food from 21 outlets such as Burger King, 7-Eleven, Dunkin’ Donut. It is imitating the success of Hong Kong’s Octopus Card by setting 5 to 10% of the card holders for retail purchase as current target of the company.

Octopus Card was launched in Hong Kong on year 1997, September. It is a rechargeable contactless stored value smart card to transfer electronic payments in online in offline system. It is widely used in payment system for transportation, supermarkets, fast food restaurant, car parks and other pint of sale application such as service station s and vending machines that have achieved good outcomes.

For further information, you may refer those links:

1) http://www.i1games.com/index.asp?show=games&link=direct&bid=16

2) http://www.i1games.com/index.asp?show=games&link=direct&bid=16

3) http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5621787.html

Nowadays, credit card debts are major cause of bankruptcies each year. It is because many people have never realized of its consequences from financial and non financial perspectives when get a new credit card or not enough safety net when there is an incident happen. In this blog, only 5 points under top 10 causes of debt will be discussed in the following:

1) UNEMPLOYMENT

Households are forced to use credit card for groceries, utilities and some expenses purposes to maintain current lifestyle when the main breadwinner of the household has loss his job and could not find a new job during short periods. This may lead to a rise in debt when expenses are not cut down in line with the reduction in income.

2) DIVORCE

Fees that must spend for divorce such as attorney, division of assets between husband and wife, proceeds given to children are the way to rack up huge debts by using credit card if it is the gap between the expenses and income. Moreover, it will lead to reduction in income because divorce may force some people to quit their job and to have a walk in other countries.

3) POOR MONEY MANAGEMENT

Poor money management is one of the best reasons that why so many families have accumulated many credit card debts. It is because people are unaware to conduct a monthly spending plan and do not keep track of monthly bills. People have never realized their spending on the items that are useless and do not have any value in their life. Thus, it has lead to a rise in debts by using credit cards.

4) EXCESSIVE MEDICAL EXPENSES

Credit card will probably become one of the sources of funds to pay off the medical expenses if health insurance is not adequate to cover the medical bills if one of your family members suffers serious illness. In United States, almost everyone pays their medical expenses by credit cards to get treatment.

5) GAMBLING

Today, gambling has become part of entertainments in our life. It is hard to stop when it becomes addictive. Thus, it will surely lead to a financial disaster if borrowing money through credit card for gambling.

People should think of the solution to avoid themselves from credit card debts by not keep on blaming the situation. The debts are not a curse and it might be a signal for people who always owe many debts to learn how to be responsible in life. Thus, the prevention of credit card debts will be discussed in following:

1) MAKING AN BUDGET

People have to create clear budget and stick on it that includes monthly bills, food, clothes, entertainment and miscellaneous expenses will prevent from overspending and fall under deeper debt load.

2) CONTACTING AND DEALING WITH CREDITORS

Address the problem to creditors instantly to investigate whether they could give revised payment arrangement when having trouble to pay off debts because running away is not a good solution. If not, may refer to Fair Debt Collection Practices Act if the collection of money from creditors is not fair enough. Creditors may approve proposal and accept modified payment plan when hiring a good credit card debt consolidation companies.

3) SELF CONTROL AND DISCIPLINE

One of the best practices is to have a direct set up so that able to pay back the full amount each month and use in emergencies. Thus, self control and discipline to keep these cards in wallet and would not overspend.

The main prevention is aware of the causes of credit card debts and starts to spend less in order to stay with well financial situation.

Referred links:

1.http://www.mozdex.com/prevent-credit-card-debt/ 2.http://ezinearticles.com/?Understanding-Credit-Card-Debt-Problems&id=1225936 3.http://www.fastweb.com/fastweb/resources/articles/index/102925 4.http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/debt/debt_manage_2004/top-10-causes.asp

Electronic currency involves the use of computer networks, internet and digital stored value systems. It may only exist in the cyber world, but that is nothing new about it. The examples of electronic currency are Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) and direct deposit. EFT refers to the computer-based systems used to perform financial transactions electronically while direct deposit is a banking term used to refer to certain systems used to transfer money.

Electronic currency allows its holder to buy the goods and services that the vastness of the internet offers. An e-currency system may be fully backed by gold (like e-gold and c-gold), non-gold backed, or both gold and non-gold baked (like e-Bullion and Liberty Reserve).

Electronic currency trading can let you to do business and earn only few dollars of investment. In fact, some of the experts will suggest the beginners to start with only a few dollars so that they can first learn the ropes of electronic currency. Besides that, electronic currency trading has a low transaction cost. Unlike other businesses that will eat up your profit with a huge amount of fees, it allows you to do business with minimal fees and give you more profit and money. There are few websites examples that can let people to do e-currency tradings such as MG E-currency, JT GOLD.com.

Related links:

1. http://www.selfseo.com/story-6264.php

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_cash

3. http://www.romow.com/business-blog/benefits-of-e-currency-trading/

A&W

7-eleven

BURGER KING

Caltex Star Mart

DUNKIN DONUTS

Carrefour

Cathy Cineleisure

With this one card for all, for example, toll, parking, public transport and theme park. In my opinion, this is more efficient towards customers. Customers no need to prepare for exact change when buying something or sometimes they will forget to prepare enough money to buy something that exceeds their budget. One of the benefits to use Touch’n Go in fast food restaurant, convenience stores, hypermarkets and cinemas is no need to wait for attendant to give you the small change especially for some of the customers who not patient. Touch’n Go is easy, fast and convenience to customers, they can touch on the screen and then go after they buy foods. This is a very good ideas to implement Touch’n Go in fast food restaurant particularly in the pick hour time. In hypermarket, consumers no need to queue up so long when some of the counters did not open; the consumers can just use the Touch’n Go to make payment. Touch’n Go can easily reload at anywhere and anytime, for example, they also can reload at Maybank.

Related article – A review on a post from My E-Commerce blog and You can use Touch’n Go card to buy burgers by next Saturday