Online Shopping and Must-do list
- Czarina Mae E. Gaspar
- Nov 24, 2017
- 6 min read
Personal experience and tips on safe and savvy online shopping.
Hi Nookfinders!
Online shopping has gone a long way given all the thriving technological advancements. It has made wonders for those who lacks the time and energy to walk and hunt for items in populated malls. Through online shops, you just swipe, click and check out then your item is practically right at your fingertips.
MY TYPICAL ONLINE SHOPPING HABITS
I only purchase stuffs that are tough to find in stores unless I am too lazy to go to the mall.
I use cash on delivery--always. But there’s a bunch of payment methods to choose from like credit cards, debit cards, payment centers, paypal etc.
Buying beyond 5000 Php such as tablets, mobiles, television is a no no for me. I guess i'm just too scared to even dare try. If you already did, let me know how things went.
My mailing address is that of my company’s. I am at work Mondays to Fridays so I prefer items to be delivered in the office
I only go for free shipping.
Since I use my company address, I do not order on Fridays since I’m not around the office during weekends. The best time to order in my case is Mondays or Sundays.
Every time I get a chance to go to the mall after my purchase, I check out the items I bought and decide whether I did the right decision. Well that’s just me. haha
Establishing a blog meant having to do research on a lot of blog-related things. One afternoon when I was surfing the net, I came across the idea of being a marketing affiliate. In it’s basic definition, you help a company sell through your site and be able to monetize from it. I contemplated on what companies to be part of and the first two that popped into mind are Lazada and Zalora. I mean, ever since I began working , I’ve been a customer so it just makes a lot of sense.
MY LAZADA SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
Let me clear that everything stated here are based on my personal orders and know-hows. One that works for me, may not work for you.
SOFITEC HAIR DRYER
Of all the items I ordered, this one’s my favorite. As you all know, I am an itchy feet so this is a top traveling necessity. Why? Because when you’re traveling you do not have a lot of time to make yourself picture-ready so this product does marvels for me –besides, it’s foldable and affordable. Talk about double the fun!
The only downside is that it came with a cheap-looking 360 degree brush but that’s okay since it’s just free. Ive been exhausting it for almost 8 months now. It’s also available in white.
TONY MOLY DELIGHT TONY TINT
Have you ever felt so heartbroken and helpless for the consistent “no stock available’’ reply of the sales lady in your make-up store? I mean come on! Lazada made it easy for me to find this Tony Moly Delight Lip and Cheek tint.
It was the same as the mall price so two thumbs up for that. This product lasts long on the lips. I dab with water when using it on the cheeks because it’s fast drying. I heard you can reserve now at Tony Moly thru their FB page so that’s another thing to check out.
see similar items currently sold in Lazada:
IPOD TOUCH SILICONE CASE
This case I ordered for my beau who was eyeing for a protective casing for his iPod touch 6th Generation. It’s for iPod Touch 5 but the piece turned out to be a perfect fit.
OTG USB
An on-the-go usb is perfect for those who like to watch movies or clips on their phones straight from their USBs. Just be sure to check the compatibility of your android phone to the product before purchasing.
My list of successful orders could go on and on. Thankfully, i haven't been scammed or anything.
NOOKFINDERCZAR'S TIPS TO A SAFE AND SAVVY SHOPPING EXPERIENCE:
1. Canvass! – I know you are so thrilled to buy your item but the same item can be priced differently by another seller so be sure to click the page buttons and search for the best deal.
2. Use cash on delivery as much as possible. I think of all payment methods, this is the safest. Just make sure to have the exact amount ready unless you want to give the delivery man a tip. Note that credit cards have more security features than debit cards and they take lesser time to refund. Check for this sign on the product page to know if COD is possible.
3. Verified good reviews. We all want to buy from trusted sellers that sell “proven and tested” products. In Lazada you could grab more assurance by checking the reviews. Read reviews with “verified purchase” indicating that the person has indeed already ordered the item. Like the comment below, it gives you plenty of reasons whether to buy the product or not.
4. Stay alert. See standard time of delivery and put on your phone in audio profile and vibrate mode so you’ll know when the delivery guy is just around the corner. If you're in the metro, items may be received earlier than expected. You may also opt to collect it at the seller’s place of choice.
5. Remind yourself that returning an item can be a headache. I honestly loved how Zalora picked up my item for return one time and made the amount available for future shopping.But that is not the case for Lazada. You have to go to LBC yourself to return the item. Personally, I never found the need to return anything. I just think that you have to be careful in your shopping although for realt-talk’s sake, there are things that we really can’t control.
6. Be nice to the delivery guy. You’ll meet again if you are an avid customer. If the guy turns out to be rude or tries to ask for a higher price, that’s the right time to take action.
7. For security reasons especially for credit/debit card users, use strong passwords in your account or just make sure to log out after use. In addition- use private devices and wifi for more secure transactions.
8. Use Promo codes. When you’re dealing with big online sites, promo codes are surely available. Get your discounts especially with high value items.
9. When using bank related payment methods, do not wait for the bill to reach you. Enroll online to check if amounts were properly debited from your account. You could also check on benefits and thrills that goes with them.
10. Too good to be true. I stick to well known sites so that I could run towards something if ever I find the need to complain. When you’re shopping online, avoid items priced too low that it is almost unfathomable why it was priced that way. It could be a scam.
11. Be notified! Subscribe to the shopping site’s mailing list and be in-the-know of their daily and upcoming offers. You could also follow your brands in social media.
12. Pay close attention to sizes.This is important on shoes and clothing. Carefully compare your statistics to those items available.
13. Be skeptical. Do not always believe what you see online. Sales are sometimes a scam pricing items over the price then making it look as if it has been discounted. Put it on your wish list then check existing prices on the market. Google is you friend!
14. Before clicking that check out button double check the items in your cart! You may have triple clicked that quantity button when you only intend to buy one item. And what’s worse? You may have bought a bunch of unwanted products in your cart!
15. For the self-confessed shopaholic, do not create your own account. Just ask a friend to order things for you instead to lessen future losses!
At the end of the day it’s always up to you. Shoppers have to be diligent enough to know the dos and don'ts of online shopping. But as I said, there are things we just can’t control. The best option is to take the above tips by heart. In my personal experience, online shopping with Lazada has been great so far. Im saying this not as an affiliate but as a customer. That’s why I didn’t hesitate to put up an ad for them. Nookfinders, Lazada is just one click away from my website. Enjoy your shopping!
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