Just something to get my mind off ....

I've always been a great fan of online-shopping especially during the times when I'm super busy at home studying, or too lazy to go out and shop. And SHOPPING has always been the greatest joy of my life!!! Buying new stuff and getting to use/wear them just makes me go nuts and everything works well with it being therapeutic mentally and physically.

The MAIN pros of shopping online is definitely the convenience and relaxation you get from just sitting on the coach with your laptop in front of you, while you click away whatever you want online. I've been doing that for the past few months since I've got As coming up. In addition, some online shops are easier to access and you get to search for the stuff you want without having to hunt for it down at the shopping mall, unless you know where to get it.
And shopping online is a much faster way to get the goods without having the worries of it being out of stock.

One very good example would be how I went on a tedious journey of shoe-hunting. A few months ago, I was hit by some crazy-spree which made me go bonkers with wedges. AND I SERIOUSLY went around searching for the perfect pair of wedges. Unfortunately, I went down to so many different shoe-shops and none offered the size/color/design I so deeply desired. And this went on for weeks! I searched from Tampines all the way to Orchard and trust me, it was not cool ... Baby and I literally shopped the entire stretch of Orchard just in search for my dear wedges. In the end I managed to find it and oh gosh, it took me forever ... but it wasn't exactly what I imagined it to be, but it was the best shot I could get. So heck, I TOOK IT! :P

Until... I found the exact pair of my dream-wedges online not too long from then But I didn't buy it since I've already got one pair at home :( At least that pair I bought was quite chio with corsages at the front :)

ANYWAYS, online-shopping is definitely one way of technology saying "GO BALLISTIC WOMEN OF EARTH AND SHOP YOUR HEART OUT!"

Well, besides the pros, I'm here to assess the cons as well, and lately I found online-shopping rather disappointing :(

First of all, shopping online means you are giving access to strangers to private information about oneself - credit card numbers, home addresses (for those who wants their stuff delivered back to their doorstep) etc. I don't mind using credit cards on those big online shops with good reputations such as Topshop, Zara, ASOS etc, as they are trust-worthy and MANY people ordered online from them before. On the other hand, those blogshops or Taiwan/Japan/Hongkong sprees, I rather transfer money over to their bank accounts. So shopping online will always give rise to the problem of trust - can I trust this shop? Can I trust this agent? Can I trust this or that or whatever ....

Another issue faced from online shopping would no doubt be the hassle of not being able to see the item "face-to-face". Think about it - you want to order this dress, but you can't exactly feel the texture of the dress or 'see' how the dress fits you etc. So basically you are gambling a lot on just measurements of the dress and the comparison of your body size to find the optimum size of the dress. Ain't it a hassle? Unless of course you are someone who is in full tune with your body and know every nook and cranny of your body, also remembering your entire measurements from top to bottom, then yea sure you are a professional. But not for me; a person who has a really weird body shape ............... Suited for size US2, but chest will be slightly too tight. So go for US4, but dress will be too big and uncomfortable. Just have to stick with a tight chest and get used to hard breathing. LOL.

Plus the fact that I was looking at Prada totes online, and their bags are mostly identical with a few adjustments here and there on the logo/shape/color/number of pockets etc. And I had a damn hard time deciding which tote to get especially when they all look somewhat identical but their prices differ by at least $500!!! Not to mention the size. So in the end I hard to get out a measuring tape, and I started measuring my Gucci and Chanel tote to get a rough size of how big the Prada tote would be. Kind of stupid if you were to think about it. In addition ... I've no idea the texture of the Prada tote would be like .. How am I suppose to know how Saffiano leather would feel like? Don't get me wrong, I'm not scolding Prada (LOL) ... I'm just pointing out the fact how online shopping can be quite a hassle, of course I should just go to an official Prada store here in Singapore and touch the bags there, but time is of the essence as well since I'm still tied down by As, and I've to get the order down before my As end. So I can't exactly wait till my As end to go to the Prada store, because it would be quite late by then :(

Moving on!

The worst part of online shopping would be the waiting of course. Some online shops offer next-day-delivery which costs about $80 the least for shipping ... so you opt for the cheaper alternative which is ...... FREE DELIVERY (yes I am very cheapskate.. sue me) .... BUT IT TAKES LIKE FOREVER TO ARRIVE!!! Alright, I am exaggerating ... but it does take very long for your parcel to arrive. And that is the issue I am facing with right now. I've never really experienced this before. Everytime I order online, the parcel will come really fast within the first one and a half week! :) Of course with the exceptions of Taiwan/Japan/Hongkong sprees which takes a range of 2months to 5months to deliver.... NOW, I've waited for about 3 weeks for my parcel from this reputable online shop (the name shall not be disclose for privacy issue). And trust me to get something done right, I went to email them about not receiving my order.

In addition I ordered two parcels from them, of which the second order was dispatched hours after the first order. So by right, the first order was meant to arrive earlier (DUH) than the second one ... HOWEVER, as of now, I've only got the second order which arrived nicely on time. So I got worried, and I emailed their customer service about my delayed parcel. At first they told me to wait for about a week for any delays in the delivery courier .. and I did. But my parcel didn't arrive again ... So I emailed their customer service yet again, this time they told me to wait two weeks!!!! What the frak?! (it's a tbbt thing LOL) I was so pissed off so I contacted the local delivery service here in Singapore and they only remembered delivering my second parcel with no sign of the first parcel anywhere. SO, doesn't that mean that my first parcel is as good as gone?!?!?!?!?! I emailed the customer service with rage like I've never felt before. And they told me to wait 2 weeks again ................................. seriously what the frak, I think by the time 2 weeks have gone by and my parcel is nowhere to be seen, even if they could get me a replacement of my first order, I'm afraid the stuff would be out of stock since the stuff I'm getting are selling like hot cakes!!!

DAMN. It's so sickening, but yet it is also my fault for partaking in online shopping. Still, if they had a shop here in Singapore, I wouldn't mind going down to the shop itself to shop. But they don't!!!!!!!! It's like H&M ALL OVER AGAIN!!! :( Yes, I used to order from H&M because they didn't have a shop here in Singapore :( WHAT THE HELL.............................................. D:

So my dear friends out there, if you want to shop online, I suggest you think twice about these certain issues first before hastily clicking on the "SHOPPING ICON". And yes, I'm still waiting with hopes that my first parcel would arrive safely ... *fingers crossed* Now, I've to go back studying since my papers start on the 9th of November.

Toodles~