Sunday, August 4, 2013

Lazada: Old school online shopping VS what we have now

If there’s anything that bugs me about shopping online, it’s how incredibly annoying hidden charges are when it comes to delivery. I know it would be asking too much if I asked for an online store that doesn’t charge delivery fees. But sometimes, it can get a bit annoying how sellers find a way to add charges on top of their already overpriced delivery service. But I guess if you’re selling good quality products, you have a right to demand for a little more when it comes to shipping. Well, I don’t really believe that. As much as I can, I try to find stores that don’t completely ruin my favorite pastime with its unreasonable charges.

            I ordered from an online store off Multiply before. The name I would rather keep unnamed. Back then, online selling of clothes was just starting to boom and the Korean or Malaysian type of clothes were a big hit. The only place you could buy decent designs from that aren’t anything off a salvage store is online. I bought a cardigan that had a scarf as an add-on for a little over a thousand. I didn’t think it was overpriced then so I convinced myself it was a good deal. When the seller texted me where to deposit the downpayment, I was surprised she asked me an additional P120. I know it doesn’t seem too big but it wasn’t like I was living in a barrio a decent delivery service wouldn’t be able to find. But because I was still too young to object then, I went on with the purchase only to find that the scarf was sewn to the neckline of the cardigan. The scarf was polka dot. It was hideous to wear with all my clothes because it had so much print. The cardigan was beige and my first thought was, “Oh this one will be easy to match”. It was depressing.

            An online store that sells quality products and at the same time have good conditions with regards to shipment that correspond to the amount and location of the transaction. Lazada sells nationwide through either LBC or 2GO with respectable additional fees. 

            A fixed rate of P55 is added to any buyer’s total charge with a delivery destination inside Metro Manila. For outside Metro Manila deliveries, customers are obliged to pay a fixed rate of P99 only. But for big payers with a minimum purchase of P1,000, their orders are shipped nationwide for free. A pretty damn good deal considering other online stores with items worth up to 5-digits still require shipment fees. What’s so impressive with Lazada is that they sell their items for a lower price compared to the items’ normal market value. Wherever they pull the delivery fee from remains a mystery to me.  Of course, items that weight tons have corresponding fees provided during checkout. That detail though is reasonable.

            Deliveries inside Metro Manila normally take 1-5 days provided that the payments have been paid in full. And deliveries outside Metro Manila are delivered within 5 to 10 days maximum. When I ordered a deep fryer, it took only 2 days before it was delivered. But of course, I live in Quezon City making the shipment a lot quicker compared to orders delivered elsewhere.
           

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