Singapore-based Shopee Seller Loses Defamation Lawsuit Over Negative Customer Review, Ordered to Pay SGD 4,000 in Legal Costs

On September 4, it was reported that a Shopee seller in Singapore filed a defamation lawsuit over a negative review left by a customer, only to lose the case and be ordered to pay SGD 4,000 in legal costs. The case originated after the consumer purchased a range hood online, then left a negative review based on the sign-off, after-sales, and secondary delivery charging rules explicitly published by the seller beforehand. The review warned other buyers to place orders cautiously and raised questions about the platform's delivery, return and exchange policies. The court ruled that the review was consistent with the seller's actual published terms, constituted reasonable commentary, and did not amount to defamation. It also noted that consumer reviews involve public interest, and negative reviews on e-commerce platforms are a normal business phenomenon, so sellers should objectively accept both positive and negative feedback. The involved seller expressed acceptance of the verdict, acknowledged deficiencies in its policy descriptions, and stated that it will further improve the explanations related to its delivery and refund policies. This article was first published on the official website of Ebrun. [Source: Ebrun Go, an automated writing robot developed by Ebrun that delivers real-time e-commerce industry insights via algorithms. This program is still in its early stages. Feel free to contact run@ebrun.com or leave comments to help it improve.]