I’ve recently had a friend in the USA shop online for me. It was for a bunch of stuff and brands I can’t get here in Malaysia and something I’ve been wanting for a long time. I was lucky that she was lovely enough to do it all for me without charging me extra like some others have.

Some Malaysians living overseas have turned from doing friends a favour by shopping for them, to a small business opportunity where they buy certain items and then sell them on to their friends or online for a profit. I personally know of someone who has been doing this for years and turning a small profit as she goes along, without having to declare anything. For a housewife, she’s doing pretty well! I can’t say its a bad thing, to be honest. Heaven knows, there are so many things I want from other countries which I can’t get here, and if the mark up is within my budget, I don’t mind paying.

Because there is a return policy on goods overseas, I have also seen people who buy certain items (especially branded goods) on sale and then sell them on. While we might not get it at the exact sale price, it can still be markedly cheaper than buying it on sale or at retail in Malaysia.

For all the legitimate entrepreneurs out there, I take my hats off to you. If you want to buy such items off online sites, do be careful that you are paying for the real thing. And if you are, relish your bargain purchase!

We can’t deny that we are now in the age of instant results. When we go to a restaurant, we no longer want to wait for our food and we get impatient when we do. We forget that food preparation is an art. We want to get our food NOW and eat NOW hence the proliferation of fast food restaurants.

With all that instant food comes instant fat and then we want instant results in getting rid of that fat – liposuction, plastic surgery, tummy tucks, never ending searches for the best diet pill to get rid of that fat RIGHT NOW!

Well, if you belong in that category of wanting to take a diet pill in the hope that it will help you lose weight quickly without having to exercise and cut back on food, be sure to do your research first. Remember, it is medication and that means it comes under the Health Ministry and they have to obtain the Ministry’s approval before letting the product go on sale. This is to ensure that the product is safe for consumption even if it might have other side effects. At least you know you aren’t going to die from taking a poisonous pill!

Here is a link to the Health Ministry’s site where you can check if a pharmaceutical product has passed the Health Ministry’s approval. It not only covers pharmaceuticals and medicines but also cosmetics and skincare! Don’t believe me? Try searching for Bobbi Brown and you’ll see a whole long list of items plus their owners/distributors. Pretty cool tool!

Not pictures of the sale.

There’s the FJ Benjamin Branded sale on this weekend. If you like La Senza, Guess, Banana Republic, Gap and Raoul make sure you head on down to Bangsar Village II in Kuala Lumpur (3rd Floor above MPH bookstores) to grab some deals.

I was there today. I thought prices were so so. Raoul ladies shirts were RM80, skirts were RM120 for 2, dresses were RM150 for 2 but designs were awful (to me). Banana Republic dresses were RM200, tops ranged from RM70-RM120. Gap jeans were RM120 and tops ranged from RM20-80 or so. La Senza had a good range of sizes for bras and panties this morning but I’m not sure how much is left.

There are loads of stuff, and loads of people and you don’t really want to be spending precious time in the queue for the fitting room when you can be digging through the piles of clothes for bargains right? So, here’s my tip for how to dress at a clothes warehouse sale.

• Wear a light or short skirt - it makes it easier for you to try on pants and jeans or skirts which you can slip on under the skirt in a quieter corner of the hall. A light skirt will help also when trying on a dress so it doesn’t look as bulky.
• Wear a light T-shirt or spagetti strap top - It makes it easier for you to slip on shirts and T-shirts and dresses don’t show up so bulky as well.
• Wear flats - It is easier to move around in flats or flip flops and it makes it easier to try on shoes. Besides, you’ll be  considerate to other shoppers who don’t like being stepped on with heels!

So, what did you get from the sales? Spill!

Most people are familiar with the concept of Gifts with Purchase or commonly known as GWP. You will notice that usually, it is beauty counters or cosmetic companies that use this idea of a GWP to attract customers.

I say that GWPs are actually evil. They are there to encourage you to buy more than you really need which is good for the seller but less so for the customer.

How often have you stopped to buy a night cream that you have run out of only to have the sales assistant tell you that if you top up another RM20 or buy RM300 worth of products or buy another item, you could qualify for a 5 piece gift set? If you are already planning to spend all that money, or planning to buy a few items at a go, then by all means, do so and get your freebies.

However, often you will find that you find yourself thinking that the gifts offered have such a high value that it would be more than worth your money to buy another item just to get that 5 piece gift set worth RM280.

I’d say you are better off keeping your money. These are my reasons:

• The “gifts” are usually deluxe sized samples of skincare. Unless you use the skincare under that brand, it will just lie forgotten in your drawer.
• The samples (whatever size they are) are just that – samples. They have no true value so whatever value placed on them e.g. RM280 worth of gifts; is just pro-rata based on the full size value and is not a true indication.
• They try to entice you with a bag, but the bag is usually a cheap one. Some offer useful bags that can be used as document bags but most free gift bags aren’t useful at all
• Some cosmetics brands offer a free lipstick. Usually it is in different (usually plastic) packaging because its a free item. Thus again, it is of no real value.
• Some offer a free full sized eyeshadow or lipstick as a gift. Note that sometimes, the products may have been discontinued and they are just getting rid of extra stock this way.

I found this out the hard way. I used to succumb to GWP promotions all the time but am now much wiser in my purchases. It really isn’t worth spending the extra RM250 to get a GWP “worth RM280″ when all you are really getting is a cheap bag with samples in it. Well, not unless the bag is super cute or useful (e.g. Paul & Joe gave out trolley travel bags) or you get close to full size gifts.

One of the hardest things to buy in my book, is a mobile phone. The reason being that the selection out there is so vast and varied that you would do to be boggled by the choices available to you. However, in my recent phone buying experience, I drew up a little checklist anyone might find useful, when buying a mobile phone.

This checklist wouldn’t be applicable for anyone who already has their heart set on a particular brand or model though. It is for people like me who suddenly find a need for a new mobile phone (in my case due to theft) and don’t have a particular brand or model in mind.

• Budget - I set myself a budget and tried to work within my budget. Many good phones can be bought for under RM1,000 as I found out.
• Specifications - Work out what you want in a mobile phone and then work within budget. I wanted a phone that could make and receive calls, send and receive SMS, have a decent camera, have bluetooth, and is slim. Others might place emphasis on a good  radio or on a good camera. I was less fussy about those bells and whistles.
• Original sets - I always believe in getting an original set i.e. one with an original warranty because if a problem arises with the phone you can always take it to the original manufacturer to be repaired or replaced if needs be. I am aware of sets known as AP sets which are cheaper but these sets aren’t covered by a manufacturer’s warranty and are thus at risk.
• Know your retail price - Always know the original retail price before you start your shopping. A friend got conned by a vendor who tried to sell him a phone at higher than retail. I too was quoted higher than retail rates before, so always check the retail prices before starting
• Shop around - From experience, I’ve found that shopping around a few different mobile phone vendors will give you a good idea of what a fair price should be before you start bargaining.
• Bargain - If you buy from a reseller in Sungei Wang Plaza or Low Yat Plaza, then you can bargain with them for a good price, or have them throw in some freebies. Some are willing to oblige if they want to close a sale. I ended up buying from one of the vendors because he gave me a good price without too much haggling, and was honest and pleasant which plays a big part  my decision to buy from any particular vendor.
• Check the phone before accepting it -  A friend found that a phone he bought was filled with unknown numbers. It turned out it was a phone that had been used before that by persons unknown. Once it was pointed out to the vendors they were quick to replace it with another new set.

This list is by no means exhaustive and if you have any further tips to add, feel free to leave a comment. I’m sure it’ll help someone out there who might be shopping for a mobile phone too! Incidentally, I ended up with a Samsung D900i for RM880. It fulfilled most of my requirements so I was happy.

Picture credit of Hachimaki

I am sitting this sale out however, simply because the last one did not meet my expectations and I actually walked away with nothing in hand – quite unheard of in this shopaholic! Also, I’ve figured out that Shiseido as a brand, isn’t really for me so I’d rather save my money up for some other warehouse sale!

For all those planning to go, here are some tips I have for surviving a cosmetics warehouse sale, simply because when you have cheap cosmetics + women, you get total madness!

• Arrive early. When it says it starts at 10am, be there at 9am. You will find it easier to find parking, and probably find yourself at the front of the queue or near the front of the queue which makes it easier for you to enter the hall, find what you want and get out early too.
• Do not bring any bags. This is crucial. Bring a bag and you slow yourself down because you’ll have to bag it or leave it at a bag counter and there are instances of bags going missing or have things stolen. Just bring your wallet and mobile phone.
• Wear pants and comfortable shoes. You will be squeezing in the crowd. Believe me, you’ll thank me for this! I like to wear cargo pants so I can keep my hands free to grab stuff.
• Check expiry dates on sale products. There is a reason they are on sale. Skincare products and cream based cosmetics have a shelf-life of about 2-3 years only. Powder cosmetics have a longer shelf-life but if its too old, skip it. Your skin deserves better.
• Find out about the brands available before you go. Pop by a Shiseido counter to see what you’d like to get before you go. At the counter, you can ask all the questions you want and find out about the products in your own time. At the sale, no one likes someone who is picking up products and asking how to use it. The sales people are sometimes not trained beauty staff and they too maybe unsure of how to use the product. Also, there are a number of brands listed, so find out about them BEFORE you go.
• If you don’t know how to use it, don’t buy it. It’ll just go to waste because you have no idea how to use it, and that RM60 that you thought was a saving could be better spent elsewhere.
• Know your foundation colour/shade before you go. If you plan to buy foundation at the sale, check your shade at the counters first. You’ll save a lot of time and hassle by just telling the staff to get you the colour you want instead of trying to find a tester and making a snap decision at the sale itself. Remember, foundation is a tricky business and you cannot settle for anything less than perfect. Read these foundation tips on how to find your perfect foundation.
• Know your retail prices. If you don’t know your retail prices, how would you know if you are getting a bargain? Generally, the Shiseido brand is pretty expensive and their savings at the sale is substantial. However for the cheaper brands found at the pharmacy, sometimes, it might be about the same price were you to buy it at say, Guardian or Watsons during a sale.
• Try to pay by cash. The cash lane is usually shorter because most people use credit cards. So, if you bring a wad of cash and pay by cash you’d be out of the mayhem faster. Also, there was an instance when I was too early and the credit card machines were not yet set up – major madness.
• If you don’t think you’d use it or like the colour very much, don’t buy it. Not even if its the cheapest Shiseido lipstick you’ll ever buy. Trust me on this one.

These tips are based on my own tried and true experiences and apply not only to this Shiseido warehouse clearance sale, but to all cosmetics brands’ clearance or warehouse sales. I picked up these tips through trial and error and they have worked for me like a charm every time, saving me money and time! Have fun at the sale!

Sale promo picture courtesy of ShoppingnSales

I snapped this picture of the parking rates for the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur shopping centre. I thought the rates were steep. But no more steep than say, Suria KLCC or Lot 10. The autopay machines could be more conspicuous though. I parked in B2 and could not find a single autopay machine on the floor.

I was hoping that since it was Pavilion’s opening day, they would waive the parking fee for starters. It was too good to hope for because parking charges start today itself. There is no flat rate parking fee on weekends though, which is a pity. I’m a bit of a skinflint so I balk at having to pay lots of money for parking – money I could spend better on shopping!

The testers for the compact makeup (the lower row) were dirty and all round awful. It made me wonder if the product will look like the tester after a few uses, and it was not a pretty sight.

At another time, I might have been interested to check out the makeup item, but with the condition of the testers, I just gave it a pass.

As a consumer who wants to be informed, having testers is a great way to learn up about the product before buying it. However, the retailers should take the trouble to clean the testers up now and then to encourage sales.

The Star newspaper ran a good article last Saturday on “Shopper’s Woes“. It featured excerpts of bad experiences from real life people and what one could do if you find yourself in a similar situation. Some of the tips were quite helpful but I’m not sure how practical they can be.

For example, I had a bad experience with a mobile phone. It was highlighted in the article and the advise given was:

Your rights: Indrani points out that if product quality is not met as described by the manufacturer or the retailer, you can demand redress.

When you return the item, you must state clearly whether you want a refund, a replacement or a repair.

It is important to note that if you agree to having the product repaired, and you sign off on it as being properly repaired, you cannot ask for a replacement later if the repair turned out badly.

This is a problem if you are dealing with a company that doesn’t value its customers. Some companies try to palm off temporary repairs on the unwitting consumer, hoping the warranty has run out by the time it breaks down.

I agree that I could have asked for a replacement. However, most of the time, when we purchase an item that comes with a warranty, the manufacturer or distributor will always repair it first under the warranty. It is only in very rare situations when they will replace the item. Unless you threaten to bring all sorts of action and highlight the situation in the papers I guess.

Either way, its a good article to read and good tips to take note of the next time you face a problem with your purchase.

This store happened to be a department store and they had sales promoters who would write you a payment receipt of your intended purchase before you make your payment at the cashier. Now what this does is provide the sales person with evidence of sale and their commission.

How it is bad for us as consumers, is that it inhibits our freedom of choice.

Just after I handed the Za foundation over to the sales person, I saw they had a L’oreal counter. I’d been wanting to try the True Match foundation for a while so since I don’t usually buy foundations often, this was my best chance.

I told the sales person that I did not want to purchase the Za foundation anymore and apologized for the trouble. She however, was terribly displeased. I don’t quite blame her, but as a consumer who had not yet paid for her item, I felt I had the right to change my mind if I wanted to.

So, this is why I prefer to shop at places where I can browse freely and then take my item of choice to the cashier instead of being hemmed in by sales promoters.