How do you score deals online?

Shopping online is a massive headache but also a really good alternative, especially if you are lazy, hate the crowd, hate the weather, hate to take public transport (train delay how?!) or looking at ways to gain weight (sitting around all day will definitely give you some muffin top).

I will much prefer to shop in REAL shops, but the crowd scares me. Also, I really hate it when the salesperson approach me as soon as I step into the shop. Halo, I need some space and some self-talk!

Which is precisely the reason why I online shop SO FREAKING MUCH. It's convenient especially if you have an ibanking device, and you just wait for it to arrive in the mail!

Of course, online shopping has its disadvantages. Lost mail, items not fitting, items different from given picture, yadahyadah. You get the point, and so I shan't bore you with these unnecessary details.

The question is HOW DO YOU SCORE DEALS, AND HOW DO YOU KNOW WHETHER THE PRICE-TAGS YOU SEE ARE THE LOWEST POSSIBLE?

It is time for some enlightenment.

Warning though, if you have zero patience, please don't bother with all this shit. Just go out and shop normally. Online shopping require utmost patience and zen-ness.

• The wonderful world of second-hand blogshops.

Don't feel so eeky about second-hand clothes! When they arrive, just give them a thorough wash, and they are good to go!

I usually scour for deals at sites like:

- http://sgflea.livejournal.com/

- http://sgselltrade.livejournal.com/ (for this you need to add the site into your livejournal friend list before you can view the items listed)

- http://sglelong.livejournal.com/

- http://sgbigbabes.livejournal.com/ (for those uk12 and above)

- http://sg-beauty.livejournal.com/ (for beauty items)

At such sites, you have to be careful. Some sellers are really bastards, and they will purchase on-sale items, and sell it for twice the price online (happens a lot with Cotton On items, so better buy Cotton On instore). 

Brand new items are naturally more expensive than second-hand items, and some of the sellers do sell branded items for good prices (a pair of Jeffrey Campbells for S$90!! SIAO CHEAP!). However, do take note that if you want the REAL DEALS, you have to be a ninja. 

I usually go to such sites once a day, just to see what's on sale. Sometimes, things are so freaking cheap (S$5?!?!) that I have no time to think through and just confirm items. YOU HAVE TO DO THAT IF YOU WANT GOOD DEALS. While you are thinking through whether you really want a S$5 pair of shorts or not, someone else has confirmed the item and left behind her email address. Livejournal sites always go by first-come-first-serve logic (unless otherwise stated) and so thinking is for LOSERS. I'm harsh on my words, but seriously you don't need to waste your brain cells for a S$5 pair of shorts that you like. 

• Gmarket (Qoo10?) awesomeness and Zalora.sg

I'm a definite Gmarket advocate. Recently, they changed their site name to Qoo10, and I still have no freaking idea why anyone would do that. Qoo10 just sounds highly amateurish. 

Here's the site: http://gmarket.com.sg/ 

It's a website under yahoo!, so just use your yahoo! username and password to log in. 

Whatever. So coming back to Gmarket. It's a website where "shops" sell their myriad of items at low prices. These low prices, however, are highly tricky. 

So for example, you go to the bestsellers section, and you see these (as shown below):

SO BLOODY CHEAP RIGHT? BUY EVERYTHING!!!!

Hold your fingers because these are the "front-door" prices. So let's click on "Chic & Modern Blouse...", which is currently the third most popular shop this week.

WHAT DO YOU SEE? (FREAKING SELLERS SERIOUSLY)

1. SHIPPING (ADDITIONAL S$4.90)
2. SHIPPING RATE WILL BE ADDED EVERY 2 QTY. 
3. WHATEVER NB-01/BLAHBLAH NEEDS AN ADDITIONAL S$8. 

You add that all up, you roughly get S$19. Still cheap, I know. But halo, YOU ADVERTISED S$5.90 AT THE FRONT FOOR LE. 

Bastards seriously. 

But ohwell, what to do? Some are really pretty and then you succumb to your temptations.

ONCE AGAIN, HOLD YOUR FINGERS. Sign up for Gmarket newsletter, and just freaking wait for items to go on sale. Gmarket does this Timed Sale thingy (very popular nowadays) where they sell certain things for a really good price for just 3 hours of the day. JUST CHIONG FOR TIMED SALES LAR. 

Zalora.sg is another gem that I recently found online. 

Here's the site: http://www.zalora.sg/ 

The great thing about this site is that, THEY PROVIDE FREE SHIPPING ISLANDWIDE + 30 DAYS RETURN POLICY. siao ding dong, first time I see this kind of website in Singapore!! 

Also, they accept CASH ON DELIVERY. Double siao ding dong. WHY SO AWESOME!?! 

The online site stocks items from obscure brands - both from obscure high-end brands and obscure low-end brands. 

The bad thing is that sometimes, your items may need to be shipped in from overseas (like my two pairs of shoes that have yet to arrive after 2 weeks of waiting. sigh.) and so you need to wait a freaking long time. Also, the customer service hotline is dodgy, nobody picks up the freaking phone. 

SO HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR VOICES HEARD WHEN THINGS GO WRONG?

You go to their facebook site: http://www.facebook.com/ZaloraSingapore

Just bitchfit there, and they will attend to you very quickly. Super plus points for online customer service. None for the bitch behind the phone, just fire her already.

Also, liking their facebook page is HIGHLY ADVANTAGEOUS. Every week, they will ask their facebook fans to choose what they want to see on sale on Zalora.sg. The photos that get the most likes will be on a timed sale for one entire day!

Just like below:

ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?! S$9.95 FOR CHIO SANDALS? BUY!

But of course I didn't. :D 

• Ebay.com.sg

Nothing can give you the best deals like ebay.com.sg. IF YOU ARE LUCKY, you will get something you like for S$2. My sturdy pair of black Charles & Keith high heels were S$2 on ebay and they are still awesome till now. MAD LOVE EBAY. 

The problem with ebay is of course the stupid conners that try to cheat your money by buying on-sale items and selling them at exorbitant prices. Now, many of them are selling the Marni for H&M stuff at MAD HIGH prices because they know you can't get them anywhere already and they are especially targeting those that want something from that collection and are willing to pay. 

So.. don't be one of those idiots. 

My mantra for ebay is if it's not less than S$10, I WILL NOT BUY IT. I sound like a freaking cheapo, but come on, think about it, you are on EBAY. Of course you are looking for some amazing deals right? 

Patience is always a virtue for ebay. You see something you like, you don't like the price, you "watch the item", you pray no one bids for it, you pray the seller relists the item after the bidding time ends, you pray the seller relists it at a lower price. THIS IS HOW YOU SHOULD DO IT. 

Of course, if you think I'm really a cheapo for doing all of the above, then haha you are not suited for online bargain shopping, so why bother right? Just go to your nearest ZARA to spend a bomb there lar, while I wait at home for the same piece to be sold online for 10% of the price. 

YAY, HOPE THIS HAS BEEN INFORMATIVE AND MORE USEFUL THAN WHATEVER MISS J.P. HAS BEEN WRITING (HEHEHEHEH INSIDE JOKE MAX).