Tokopedia and Bukalapak Anticipate GeNose ‘Naughty’ Sellers

Citizens had discussed the existence of a person selling a breath-based coronavirus detector, GeNose, on social media. This is a hoax. Even so, Bukalapak and Tokopedia anticipate ‘naughty’ sellers peddling this device.

At the end of last week, several Facebook users uploaded GeNose sales content of IDR 75 million. The Covid-19 Task Force said this upload was a hoax. Even so, Tokopedia and Bukalapak anticipate that there will be merchants selling goods with the GeNose description.

AVP Marketplace Strategy and Merchant Policy Bukalapak Baskara Aditama said the company had not found any GeNose being sold on the platform. “We routinely monitor goods sold through the platform,” Baskara said, Monday (8/2).

If there is a ‘naughty’ seller who sells a product with a GeNose description, he will be penalized according to the applicable rules. “We prohibit the sale of products that violate legal provisions, including goods that are not legally allowed to be sold freely,” he said.

Encourage the Public to Report Illegal Sales of GeNose

The unicorn also encourages the public to report if there are GeNose sellers on the platform. This is done through the BukaBantuan service. The same thing was conveyed by External Communications Senior Lead Tokopedia Ekhel Chandra Wijaya.

“We continue to carry out proactive actions to maintain activities on the platform,” he said. He also emphasized that the company would take action against traders who violated the regulations. Last week, UGM revealed that there were posts on Facebook selling GeNose above the highest retail price (HET).

“GeNose is sold at various prices. Some are IDR 75 million, IDR 80 million, even IDR 90 million,” said Director of the UGM Directorate of Business Development and Incubation Hargo Utomo, last week (2/2). Hargo said that GeNose’s HET was only IDR 62 million per unit before tax. “The price’s been determined and it’s not allowed to sell above it,” said Hargo.

In addition, the distribution of GeNose is managed by PT Swayasa Prakarsa. There are currently three authorized distributors for the GeNose C19, and three more will be added. GeNose marketing has also not been prioritized for individuals or households.

The tool developed by UGM is prioritized for the response to Covid-19 in hospitals, public services, government, schools, Islamic boarding schools, campuses and companies/industries. He appealed to the public to be careful if someone sells GeNose on social media, because of the potential for fraud.

The Tokopedia Platform Records an Increase in Sales of Household and Education Products

The e-commerce company, Tokopedia, recorded an increase in sales of household products which doubled or 100% on an annual basis (year on year / yoy) last year. Meanwhile, transactions on the “tuition fee” feature increased fourfold, aka 300%.

Category Development Senior Lead (Home & Living Category) Tokopedia Fifa Italia said the company is again holding a campaign for household products in line with the high demand. The promotional program will run until 28 February.

Tokopedia offers flash sale and cashback discounts of up to 90% during the campaign. “Mattress pillows, automatic brooms, floor mops, electric gallon pumps and air fryers were the ones most sought after during the Home Living SALEbrations campaign last year,” said Fifa in a press release, Monday (8/2).

One of the sales partners, namely the owner of the Kandura Studio business, Fauzy Prasetya, said transactions increased almost 2.5 times during the Home Living SALEbrations campaign last year. Meanwhile, Vassa Sofa business owner, Fiona, recorded an increase in transactions of almost 100 percent.

In addition to household products, Tokopedia recorded a fourfold increase in the use of the “education fee” feature last year. This feature released in August 2019 allows users to pay tuition fees for schools, universities and courses.

VP of Corporate Communications Tokopedia Nuraini Razak claims that the company is the first local e-commerce platform to provide tuition payment services. This unicorn also collaborates with more than 500 educational institutions.