Reader 160

Reader 155, I would like to clarify something here. As FT stated, shopping offline (i.e.: frequenting a boutique in a shopping mall) is NOT necessarily cheaper than buying online. I have bought some pieces from Sg Wang, Taman Connaught pasar malam and Times Square which are about RM 10.00 lower than what some online boutiques are selling. Yes, I just tried on a beautiful purple satin shoe from the pasar malam, and to my amazement, a blogshop is selling the exact same piece for RM 20.00 higher than what I just tried on. Yes, that amount. And a white halter top I bought there as well for RM 10.00 was recently seen at a blogshop for RM 20.00. That's 100% profit.

If you've taken the time to walk around window shopping, you'd realise that many blogshops are actually selling pieces at a higer price compared to real stores outside. Yes, they don't need to pay high rental for their shop, electricity bills, etc. But do you know that there're other hidden costs?

Blogshops are not meant to be any cheaper than shopping malls. They're just meant to be more convenient, if you live somewhere devoid of malls and time. I really like those shops that offer something that can't be found in shops, such as Vibrant Swirls. Their pieces are seldom seen when I window shop around. Some shops simply sell the same thing that can be obtained from our local malls, and they sell them at a very high price. Perhaps the explaination would be, not everyone is fortunate enough to live near major malls in Klang Valley, hence, you need to pay extra for that service. Vibrant Swirls have a few designs that're common among other shops, but they stand out because they mostly offer something different. And beautiful, of course. So, regardless of the price, I wouldn't mind buying it, as I don't see any cheaper alternative in Sg Wang or something.

And yes, both buyers and sellers need to be logical and responsible. Both parties have every right to diss each other when something goes wrong, but do bear in mind that meeting disagreeable customers is nothing new when you're in the business industry. It's how you handle them that makes your company stand out, and win our respect.

As for buyers, do make the effort to inquire thoroughly before making a purchase. I mean, don't you always check the expiry date on food you buy? Or do a thorough research before enrolling into a certain university? Like any transaction you make in life, THIS IS YOUR MONEY YOU ARE PAYING. You and you alone are responsible for it. Make sure you know enough about what you're getting before letting go of your money like that. Refunds aren't a privilege in most shops, do remember to read through the terms and conditions.