I guess having a blog shop is ideal for someone who does not want overheads – all the have to do is sign up for a free Blogger account and sell away. The only problem is that of credibility. Not all are credible which is a pity. Brings a bad name to a new age of online shopping.

When I shop online here are a few things I look out for:-

• Conditions of returning
• whether they ship internationally
• How much is shipping
• Does shipping include packaging

Sometimes companies sneakily tick boxes for gift wrap which might cost a fee so make sure you check and un check the necessary boxes when you run through your order.

Shopping online is convenient but it pays to be vigilant too.

I usually go for small handmade items like pouches or cloth card holders, not heavy things like area rugs or candles or soaps that can cost hefty shipping. You see, most of the sellers are from the USA so shipping can be quite hefty if you are outside the USA.

I know that for anyone who can sew or at the very least use a sewing machine, its all quite easy to make if you have the material. However, I can’t sew to save my life hence I resort to buying them That said, I’m hardly breaking my bank getting little pouches for about $3 = RM15. Some plastic ones cost more than that here and I like the personal touch that goes into each and every piece on Etsy.

As with Ebay, check feedback before buying. So far I’ve been lucky

However, from now until June 30 2009 Shopbop.com is offering free international shipping for purchases over $100. Not hard I assure you. Yeah you do miss out on the fun of stepping into mirrored and steel buildings to purchase the brands you want like Rebecca Minkoff and Marc by Marc Jacobs or Juicy Couture or a whole host of other fashion and accessories brands.

BUT who really cares when you can get your mitts on brands you don’t get here in Malaysia?! Best part, they ship by UPS so you get it within a week teehee… Down side – if you are buying a leather bag, be warned you are liable to be taxed at Malaysian customs – 10% of the estimated value converted into RM. Can be ouchies!

Before I share some information with you, I’d like to rant a little. Not about weightloss pills and how they don’t or do work, but about why international brands don’t seem to have a web presence in Malaysia.

I’d been hunting high and low for the information for L’Occitane Malaysia’s latest promotion which is the Provence Market promotion. I’d seen it in the stores – a cute canvas bag with a set of travel sized lotions and creams retailing for RM159.

I’d say its a pretty good deal if you like L’Occitane or if you want to get something from there to try or if you have a plane trip planned. I just can’t find this information online which is a real bummer! L’Occitane Singapore has a website – why don’t we?

I use the Envirosax which I go grocery shopping. I love the new Botanica design!

These wonderfully thin and compact polyester bags are surprisingly very strong and can fit a ton. They fit up to 20kg which is equivalent to 2 bags of rice! I’ve never tried it myself (my shoulder would drop off) but its apparently been tested and it works.

The best part is that they roll up into a very compact tube that can fit in your back jeans pocket. So, there is no excuse to say you forgot your reusable bag the next time you go shopping. I keep one at home and one in my handbag so I always have access to it.

However, I must admit I don’t always say no to plastic bags. I use plastic bags for my rubbish so when my stocks run low, I still say yes to a plastic bag or two. If I use it for my rubbish, does it count as recycling too?

Envirosax reusable bags can be purchased at Tiny Tapir in Malaysia. Don’t expect nice shipping boxes to come from them – they are an eco-friendly store after all! But your goods will come safe which is whats more important.

If you love eco-friendly products but find it hard to get them commercially, you might want to pop by the Tiny Tapir. The Tiny Tapir stocks a variety of products that are environmentally friendly and lots of products for babies even beanies toys in the Zoobies range… oh wait! they are plush toys!

Based in Malaysia, the Tiny Tapir ships internationally but the shipping costs depends on the weight of the product. I have recently shopped through the Tiny Tapir online site and I must say that its been a good experience.

The site is a little hard to navigate at first if you enter via the main page. e.g. House & Garden encompases soaps and various shampoos and lotions which I might have looked under Women for. Also, Out and About encompasses the environmentally friendly bags like the Envirosax or Roototes and Roo shoppers and I did not think of looking there for these.

For Women, there is a range of cloth sanitary pads and various related products. Nursery covers everything for baby from cloth diapers to wee caps. I personally thought that wee caps were such a brilliant idea!

If you have jumped on the Rootote bandwagon (and if you have not, why not?! These tote bags are awesome!) then you’d be happy to know that Tiny Tapir has a good selection of them. The more popular designs sell out very quickly once they go online so you must be fast. The prices vary according to the size and material and according to the shipping costs too. The prices have gone up a little since I first got my first Rootote, but its still affordable for a pretty nice tote bag.

Tiny Tapir offers shipping by courier, poslaju or registered post within Malaysia with free shipping on purchases above RM300 (so share with friends!). If you live in KL, you can opt for cash on delivery but this is only at the KLCC area. In the alternative, you can pop by the Tiny Tapir store which is near KLCC. Go to the map on the site to find out where it is. Be warned that you will need to bring your own bag because they do not provide plastic bags in the interests of the environment.

I placed on order online recently to test out their online services. It was above RM300 so I qualified for free shipping. I did not see the shipping costs included in any event prior to that, only a charge of RM1. I found that a little puzzling. Anyway, upon confirmation of your order, you will receive an email with the total and a follow up email on where to bank in payment. Presently, Tiny Tapir only accept bank in into their bank accounts, no credit cards. It might put some people off, but since most of us have a Maybank account, it shouldn’t be that hard to make payment.

You also receive confirmation of receipt of payment and thereafter notification of your package being sent out. I think that is good. It keeps the buyer informed every step of the way about when they can expect their item.

I had a good experience shopping with Tiny Tapir and I hope you will too.

Spinning off my previous post about getting your road tax fuel rebate below, its also come to my attention that you can actually claim your rebate online. So, if you aren’t the sort who likes to queue up at the post office (I prefer going to those that are open later as there are less people in the evenings) then you might want to use the online option.

I personally have not used the MyEG service. This site allows you to obtain car insurance quotes, pay for your car insurance, pay to renew your road tax and even pay to have the road tax couriered to you so you don’t even have to trouble yourself waiting to get it. If you renew your roadtax online then you can claim your fuel rebate online too which saves you queueing at the post office. However, it will be credited to your card and so you don’t get to see the cold hard cash

Over and above car related services, you can also renew your driving license (very useful if you don’t want to find yourself wasting half a day queueing at the JPJ) or even pay police summonses.

There is however one snag that I can see using the online road tax renewal service and that is if your car is still under a hire purchase loan. In those circumstances, the bank holds your car registration card. On MyEG, they say :-

7. My original Registration Card is with the Bank. How can I print my registration card at the eKiosk?

Normally the Bank may allow you to collect your registration card for renewal purposes for a few days. Once you have completed the road tax renewal, you may print the relevant information on your registration card. Thereafter, you may need to submit the original registration card back to the bank for safekeeping. Please make the necessary arrangements with your Bank directly.

So, it does not eradicate the hassle of having to collect your card from the bank etc. That is one of the hassle bits that really get my goat so I get someone to do it for me for a small fee. Sometimes, time is money yes?

My eye is particularly drawn to the Dior Addict Glitter Collection Lipstick ( Limited Edition ) which has been slashed down to US$16.50. There are 5 colours available.

If only I did not already have so many lippies! Still, Dior Addict are one of my fave lipies and US$16.50 (RM54.50) is a pretty decent price.

At a mere US$12 (RM39) for 2 eyeshadow pans in a cardboard case, I’d say its a STEAL! There are 3 sets available and all 3 look so good, I want them all You can just click the Buy button below if you are interested and it’ll take you straight to the site. If you get 3, you get an additional 5% off plus free shipping anywhere in the world so why not share the love and have your friends share in the deal?

Stila Eye Shadow Duo – # 10 Twilight/ SapphireBrightens your lids quickly Long wearing Never crease or fade away Gives striking effect & sexy eyes

Stila Eye Shadow Duo – # 11 Aubergine/ AmethystBrightens your lids quickly Long wearing Never crease or fade away Gives striking effect & sexy eyes

Stila Eye Shadow Duo – # 09 Platinum/ Potpourri Brightens your lids quickly Long wearing Never crease or fade away Gives striking effect & sexy eyes

What are you waiting for?!