Archive for February 2011 | Monthly archive page
The winner of the February Mini Contest prize which is a Bath and Body Lotion is 
I just kept comments as is because it’s confusing to renumber. Also it’s 48 because there was someone who left a comment on another post (Corregidor) The winner is the 26th Commenter. Yay!! Okay so I’m currently sending you a message on another tab.Thank you all for joining, I hope you join March’s mini contest!!
Contest for March should be posted within the week. It’s also a comment contest but you have to FB like, you like? see yah!!
Being married as they say will be different from when you were just dating. That is actually an understatement. This is the time when its quite hard to just have a couple’s only time especially if there’s nobody else to take care of a hyperactive two year old. One time though in December, we were at the mall and we passed by this jewelry store. Being someone who’s totally in love with diamonds, we went in. You should have seen their selections, diamond sets, platinum bracelets, engagement rings. It’s like every woman’s dream. They also sell some great jewelry boxes. diamond cufflinks for gifts etc. We came out buying nothing, it was just fun window shopping.
Yesterday, I was surprised when hubby came home with a long stemmed rose and a small box tied with a silver bow. It was totally unexpected. He said he waited for a performance bonus he got and bought me the diamond earrings set on platinum I was eying at the store. Isn’t he the sweetest? I should really take him to more jewelry shops lol.
We live in a tropical climate but there are ways to get that “I am one with nature” feeling. You can start with making your place more lively by bringing in some indoor plants. They really add a homey feel plus it would be good for your health. If you have the budget for it then another thing you can do is bring in that lost in the woods look and decorate with cabin furniture. You can get scenery paintings too, and hey if you’re artistic enough maybe you can paint your own right? Don’t forget the patio or if you have a garden, apply this look there and it will be a cool place to hang out in.
Online Buying and Selling is a billion dollar industry in the United States and many other countries. However, online shopping has not reached it’s full potential as yet for the Philippines although it has been gathering up strength and is increasing its share of the buying public. In this Digital Talks Video, E-commerce expert Digital Filipino Janette Toral interviewed Xend Business Solutions Inc. CEO Bjorn Pardo on the need for merchants and buyers to increase their trust when transacting online.
[vimeo vimeo.com/20189074]
Here are my insights on the interview:
As someone who has recently been hit by the online shopping bug. I do agree with what has been pointed out by Janette Toral that face to face transaction is still the much preferred means of trading or buying goods and services. Research was done on my part before actually deciding to purchase online. This is due to the fact that scams do abound online and I have read more than a few discussion threads of people who have spent their hard-earned money on products that were not delivered as promised. However what is good about some sites now are the presence of seller’s feedbacks where you can gain a bit of confidence in buying. Social media is there too and the best example is of course, Facebook where you can read posts of satisfied or disgruntled buyers. These examples would help you in making your decision in going ahead with a purchase.
I have started selling online last year, a simple online store selling pre owned items. Yet, even as a part-time business for a work at home mom like me, I had to choose a courier that has mostly positive feedbacks and is cost efficient. Coincidentally, the courier that I chose and still use is Xend because they have a free pick up service and has been excellent so far. I agree with Bjorn Pardo that things do get lost and damaged. This is something that I have not experienced using their service but I do believe that it is imperative to get insurance if you plan to sell something expensive such as mobile phones, laptops or any high selling items. This will protect your reputation as a seller and also protect your buyer’s purchase. As to increasing your buyer’s confidence, constant communication is needed and a certain degree of understanding with regards to delay in payments. Rules should be set in place, condition of item stated, honesty in dealings and professional courtesy no matter if you’re selling a product worth 10 pesos or a 10,000 peso one. You are still the seller and customer service is an imperative.
Janette Toral asked Bjorn Pardo on Xend’s current projects and future plans.
Current Products:
Aside from Free Pick up service which saves you the hassle of taking the time to go out and send a package. Xend has a few innovative products that goes along with the service, one of the products mentioned was a Xend badge which is a popular product because this is where sellers can prove that they are indeed doing deliveries as stated on the site they are selling from. This is my Xend badge below:
I do have acquired a discount shipping voucher where I can download and hand over to the Xend delivery guy so I can get 50 % off my shipping fee. As you increase your level, you get rewards such as free shipping and so on. In addition Xend is running a contest for its 1Millionth Delivery where the 1st prize is 1 year worth of free shipping so you see they do come up with the best ideas to be competitive in the industry.
Future Plans:
Xend is planning to set up a C.O.D. or Cash on delivery transactions. This will surely entice more buyers to shop online because you pay when you receive the item you wanted online. I do have my doubts on this one because as Janette Toral has pointed out there might be an issue on the time of remittance or procedure to send back the funds to the merchant. A C.O.D procedure has also been set up by a popular Telecom but somehow when I read feedbacks, it didn’t quite pick up and work as well as they hoped. So I do hope as he has stated that it will be something simple and easy to use.
Forming another Group buying company is something I do agree on. I think all of us are all looking for more great products and services. More Group buying sites means more discounts. We all love a great discount and I do completely agree that there is definitely room for one more, if not a hundred more of group buying sites. However I believe that people do not look only for the best rates but also consider the company’s customer service before and after sale, a hassle free transaction and a satisfying experience for service or complete information of terms and conditions on a particular sale. So we will wait for this site and see how it goes.
If you are a buyer, some risks are there in buying online so do your research. If you are a seller then you know the right things to do to provide good service. Merchant-buyer confidence on online transactions can be improved if fair practice and acknowledgment of both responsibilities are met.
For more informative and intelligent conversations visit
An exclusive shopping club in the Philippines? I found this by clicking on an ad on Facebook.
Benefits of Brandsfever membership
- Insider prices on international brands
- Access to hand-picked fashion and lifestyle products
- ₱350 store credit each time a friend makes their first purchase
- Participation in contests and giveaways with fantastic prize
So I signed up and checked out the site, The address is in Singapore. Got like three brands with discounts. Checked only on Clarks though. Used to work that at work, so comfy.There’s also a 350 referral fee which is kinda cool if it’s the real deal. Haven’t researched on feedbacks on the site. Fairly new. No fee in joining
Because I cannot get replies from my emails and because chat support is nowhere to support. I had to file a claim in paypal. I got to check my inbox only after I sent another message to their chatbox regarding 2 days of not receiving load. Fortunately on their message to me via paypal, they gave the load details and I was now able to use it. They said they have not received my emails, three of them to be exact. The load was sent but due to technical error, it did not reach me. I told them that Smart load on their system has a problem, also if they have not been receiving my emails they should really check what’s going on in there.
Since I already got what i paid for online. I’m gonna shut up now. 8)
I’m in a sullen mood today because of this
FIZZER – Hay when will I ever learn. I usually buy paypal to sun load with Fizzer and I never had any trouble. However last year I bought a Smart Prepaid Buddy load for 300 pesos and I never got it. So I sent emails never got a response and waited for online support which I had to wait for to be available. Last year I had to get into an argument with the CS because I told him I didn’t receive the load. He said I bought a card and I should be the one to load it. He sent the load details manually via text. Trying the load instruction on the site the load sent to me does not work. He was not very helpful too and seriously I’m not saying this just because. I ended up resolving the issue quickly with Smart Customer service bless their soul. Anyhow yesterday I bought sun and smart load from them because I don’t know where else to buy. I got the Sun load. Then again the Smart load I bought yesterday for almost 10 usd did not arrive again. I sent three emails. No response. Now I’m still waiting for Online support to come on which God knows when. Also their chat support site called Siteheart.com fails to load. This is the last time I’m going to buy from them. I just found out Pinay mommy sells load online. Also I realized a lot of sellers on Ebay sell via paypal. I’m not very smart.
We are CSI fans, that I have already established if you get to read some of my posts. I sometimes do wonder how they handle it. You go to work everyday, you attend to a crime scene with your work gloves on. Just a normal working day except you look at bodies half of them unrecognizable. You talk to grieving family members and weird psychopaths. Of course that’s just a tv show, it might be boring in real life but that’s what’s wonderful about TV, you get to imagine a whole new life.
It’s my second week of trying to switch to a healthy lifestyle. I admit I cannot for now avoid noodles. I will do that next week, for now I want to focus on eating fruits and vegetables and avoiding that sinful thing chocolate. My mom kept nagging me about the colon cleanse thing but I said I will in a couple of weeks. I still have to buy that new exercise video I wanted. More on that later.
If you’re in High School or maybe College you may be having trouble with that dreaded ” I cannot go out forever look.” It means you got acne and too ashamed to be seen by friends and most of all the one who makes your day worthwhile, your crush. Truthfully, this was never my problem and I’m happy that I never had it. The bad thing though is I’m starting to have pimples now that I’m in my 30′s. Maybe I’m growing younger, you think?
