Mdada customers still waiting for items, refunds despite firm's aim to settle matters by June

Wong Shiying
The Straits Times
Jul 5, 2023

Some customers of e-commerce firm Mdada are still owed items or refunds after months of waiting despite the live-streaming company’s earlier commitment to resolve these issues by June.

Three customers who have been waiting five to seven months for their orders told The Straits Times they have lost faith and will not purchase from the platform again.

One client, who wanted to be known only as Mrs Tan, said she spent around $4,700 to buy a luxury bracelet, T-shirt and skincare products.

Mrs Tan, in her 40s, added: “I am so appalled by their irresponsibility. They pushed the deadline time after time. We were told our orders would arrive by May, then it became June, and now it’s already July.”

Mdada, founded in September 2020, is a Singapore-based company that uses Facebook’s live stream to sell items from skincare to luxury bags.

It made headlines in 2021 for having a revenue of $3.9 million in two months, in part due to the credentials of its three co-founders – local actress Michelle Chia, Thai-Chinese actor-host Pornsak Prajakwit and local hairstylist Addy Lee.

Mr Melvin Yong, president of the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case), said in response to queries from ST that it received 50 complaints against Mdada between Jan 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023.

The grouses were about not receiving orders in time, incomplete deliveries, delay in receiving refunds for non-deliveries and getting defective or incorrect products.

Case has written to Mdada to seek a resolution.

Mr Yong said, as at Tuesday, Case understands at least four consumers have not received their orders and/or refunds despite the company’s commitment to settle all outstanding orders by June.

“If Mdada is unable to fulfil outstanding orders, or if affected consumers no longer wish to proceed with their orders due to the extended delay, they should give the refunds promptly,” he added.

“It is unfair for Mdada to hold on to consumers’ monies indefinitely if they are unable to fulfil the orders.”

In an e-mail response to ST, Ms Chia said the firm endeavours to complete all outstanding orders and refunds as soon as possible.

She attributed most of the late deliveries to issues arising from overseas suppliers which were not able to ship products promptly.

“To resolve this issue, Mdada implemented measures such as working closely with suppliers to ascertain stock availability and to allow them to arrange shipment immediately using Mdada air freight services accounts,” she added.

Ms Chia said Mdada paused its live-streaming activities for a short period to resolve shareholder issues.

“The issues have now been resolved which allows Mdada to focus on its business through live streaming and, more importantly, rectify the delays in refunds and returns,” she added.

This is not the first time Mdada has received flak.

In December 2021, Mr Pornsak apologised after Shin Min Daily News reported that two customers did not receive their orders after waiting for over two months.

On Jan 1, 2023, he announced his departure from the company, telling AsiaOne that it was linked to differences in “corporate governance”.

The company refuted the allegations. In a Jan 6 statement, it admitted that it faced challenges in delivering goods, noting that delays and cancellations happened from time to time due to “external factors outside Mdada’s control”.

On April 1, 2023, Mr Lee said on social media that he had left the company on March 17, citing ill health.

But Ms Chia said on Wednesday that Mr Lee continues to be a major shareholder and key opinion leader in Mdada. He will travel to China in July to attend to personal matters, she said.

“As Mdada does not require a key opinion leader to be physically in Singapore, Addy is able to participate in our livestreams outside Singapore,” she said.