Armchair shoppers

WHILE armchair shoppers embrace the ease of virtual shopping, others insist on touching the real thing before parting with their hard earned ringgit.

Manager Minnie Poo, 31, got her wedding dress – among other things, online. The pregnant mother confessed to buying everything from kids toys to adult toys, online.

“I bought Ben Wa balls – a sex toy also used for Kegel exercises, after giving birth to my daughter two years ago.”

Her purchases from local and foreign online stores include big items like dining chairs and lamps that range between hundreds of ringgit to over RM1,000.

The cheapest item she’s bought was a RM30 bracelet, shipped free from the United Kingdom. But, she had to give it away as it didn’t fit.

“I’ve also ordered from the United States and China, usually from Alibaba’s Taobao. They have everything under the sun. It’s all about keywords when searching for what you want. If you can name it, you’ll find it.”

Well-known brands, she says, are okay. But to be extra sure, she consults “Mr Google” and reads user reviews. When buying online, keeping an open mind is key, she feels. Consumers must be open because what you find may not be exactly what you had in mind. She, however, is rarely disappointed.

“If it’s something I really want but am not sure about the item’s quality or specifications, I always go for the cheaper variant. So, I won’t be so sad if it’s a lemon.”

While she’s never had any problems with sellers, courier providers and the authorities are a different kettle of fish.

“Once I ordered essential oils and a diffuser from the US, and had to pay over RM100 in taxes when the order itself was only a few hundred ringgit. I felt cheated by the courier provider and the Customs Department because these are not ‘sensitive items’. And, when Malaysian stores finally sold them, it was cheaper,” she laments.

Describing herself as a “lazy shopper”, Poo hates traffic jams, the crowd, and having to go from shop to shop to find something. So, she always shops online, even if the items are available in stores.

The only problem she has with online shopping is the wait.

“I want it fast – right after I’ve paid.”

Poo’s best friend Dingo Xiao, 32, bought a designer bag for about RM2,000 online. A regular at Taobao, Shopbop, Asos, Urban Outfitters and Amazon, she also hunts for phone accessories and stationery in virtual stores.

While she loves online shopping because “you get to see everything with a click”, she still enjoys going to brick and mortar shops.

“I like feeling and touching the real thing. Then, I’ll go online to see if I can get a cheaper deal,” shesays.

Clothing sizes and taxes, though, are a headache. She’s had items stuck at customs and the taxes are often too much.

“I bought shoes from Korea and was asked to get it from customs myself. The box was huge so they assumed that it’s expensive stuff but the invoice showed a very low amount. They though I was bluffing. It’s inconveniences like these that make me think twice about shopping online,” she shares.

Trust, she thinks, is crucial with online shopping. When things are cheap, you’ve got to give and take, she justifies.

“You can’t see the real thing so sometimes it differs from expectations,” she says, admitting that the only illegal item she’s bought online was a sex toy.

Marion Ngo, 48, however, needs to see, touch and feel an item, before parting with her money.

She just doesn’t trust what’s online – especially when it’s for health and beauty.

“My cousin Coreen Ngo, is the total opposite. She buys everything online. Two years ago, I paid RM600 for eyebrow embroidery. She got it for half the price on Groupon,” she shares, describing Coreen as a “professional online shopper”.

It’s a title the 48-year-old housewife embraces. While she does sometimes get carried away when filling her cart on bigsale.com.my, Coreen shops online because it’s cheaper and more convenient.

“When I know I’ve bought too much, I never tell my husband. But some things – especially facials and dining deals, can be up to 70% cheaper compared to normal retail prices. She even gets her haircuts at half-price.

“Eyebrow embroidery is temporary. Why pay so much? Mine lasted over eight months and I’m happy with how it turned out.”

An avid online shopper, Coreen reads public comments before buying. She also window shops to check the retail price before sourcing for a better deal online. She, however, shies away from designer bags because “there are many fakes out there”.

“Quality may be an issue but you can really save if you do your homework.”

Coreen hopes to see more Malaysian marketplaces and local products online because it will give consumers like her more options.