Well for the Hello Kitty saga, most people should know how exaggerating Singaporean goes for that small black hello kitty plushie that claims to be limited edition by McDonald. I AM A HELLO KITTY FAN MYSELF. But I know how crazy the queue is gonna be like because NON-HELLO KITTY LOVERS who only cares about MONEY will queue for HOURS, wasting their time and energy or even to the extent of finding troubles with the management by not cooperating, only to earn that pathetically few hundred bucks for the Hello Kitty. After I see people selling black kitties everywhere on Facebook, I eventually got irritated by the black kitty and lost all interest for it.
It looks kinda creepy though. A black cat. Chinese superstitions claim that black cats is an unlucky animal.
Yeah, really unlucky to cause all the hu-ha over it.
Honestly speaking, 10 years ago the couple Hello kitty was in similar situation. People bought 10 over sets of meals and throw it to the bin to just get that couple Hello kitty. People were bidding it at ridiculous prices for it.
But 10 years later, it was found in a thrift store for freaking $5 per set of 2.
It's all about the freaking trend dude.
So now the Hello kitty saga has died down, shall get to MAIN TOPIC instead.
TYPICAL SINGAPOREANS VS ONLINE SHOPPING.
2 words to describe = 'title drop'.
Doesn't apply to all but to the typical ones.
.jpg)
A great app for buying and selling and finding absolute great deals for sure. Friendly and helpful admins behind the computer as well. Love their management and how categorization of items.
A great app for buying and selling and finding absolute great deals for sure. Friendly and helpful admins behind the computer as well. Love their management and how categorization of items.
Singaporeans, please. Save some face for yourself. Negotiating for stuffs is understandable, especially for online shopping because there is no rental fee unlike retail or companies such as Zara or Dorothy Perkins which you can only get cheaper deals during the time of SALES period.
Recently I got pretty addicted to a phone app called CAROUSELL (available in Android too) which is like a 'venue' whereby people get to sell their items from accessories, clothes to household appliances and many more. Cheapskate (admitting I am but I'm NOT typical please) people like me who goes to flea markets to keep a look out for cheap clothes totally LOVE this app. I get to sell and buy at the same time. Best thing about this app is that people can make 'AN OFFER'. Example: I'm listing a dress for $15. A buyer offer $12. 'Ok' as I thought it's reasonable enough, I accept the offer and let her know the payment details aftermath.
But......
I've met tons of people offering (example) $5 for item priced at $14 etc. C'mon, honestly speaking....
.PNG)
If so gian peng, go dig from rubbish dump. It's FREE.
Let's state an example of standing in two different positions as a buyer and a seller.
A seller would probably do clearance sale by listing perhaps a Samsung phone protector for $2.
Buyer see such a cheap price, find it no need to fork out and waste the $2 hence ask for TRADES instead. C'mon, it's only $2. Maybe people want to clear their stuffs to make space ley? Then what for trade with your stuff and continue wasting their space? There must be a reason why people do clearance sales.
And clearly for me, because I'd rather sell 100 clothes away for cheapo price of $3-4 each (grab bag) and with that pathetically sum of money earned, to buy 20 pieces of apparels. I earn and at the same time, I get to save more space. Apart from that, buyer get to receive new buys online as well. Win-win situation.
01. AskingForTheObvious-type:
Yes, emphasizing on grab bag especially. WHAT THE HECK IS GRAB BAG WHEN BUYER INSISTED OF LOOKING AT THE ITEMS BEFORE PURCHASING AND THEN REALIZED CANNOT VIEW, THEN DROP THE OFFER OR GOES MIA. Hello? Like you saw the word 'GRAB BAG' RIGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE and then decided to click it in while expect the most stupidest thing? If grab bag are meant to be seen, it'll be called 'HOLY-BUNDLE-BAG' instead. Bullshit.
People purchase grab bag because it's CHEAP as everything comes in a bundle and loves the excitement of surprise whereby to receive random grab bag parcel end of the day.
Definition: Grab bag
n
1. a collection of miscellaneous things
2. a bag or other container from which gifts are drawn at random
YES, the keyword is RANDOM.
02. 'AskedManyQuestionsAndGoesMia' type. Yes this type.
Such people either a) Asked tons of questions and gather information while portraying the interest of purchasing ended up goes MIA or b) Try to negotiate for the price and then suddenly the 'feel' gone and drop the deal/be a fucker and goes MIA or c) Asked for more information so can keep a look out on different sellers and get the best deal of all. Hence example, asking 3 but only 1 of the 3 will close the deal with the buyer.
Part (c) is reasonable to be exact. But please, show your responsibility as the part of a buyer. Don't portray 100% interest upon purchase with ALL 3 sellers unless you wanna purchase from ALL 3 sellers lah.
SAME logic what. Imagining 3 guys trying to jio a girl, the girl can only pick 1 out of the 3. If the girl treat all 3 equally, this girl is pretty fuckedup by giving false hope to all 3 guys (ok probably just 2 because she will be with one of the 3 end of the day if let's say).
Elaborating it further to seller vs seller.
Typical Singaporeans gets jealous easily. So when your particular item gets popular with diff questions asked or comments from buyers, here comes the jealous seller trying all ways to pull you down while at the same time trying to 'promote' themselves while offending other sellers. I've met TWO today and it's really ridiculous and amusing to the extent whereby they've really got nothing else to reply to my response aftermath though HA HA.
Ok seriously, you're a seller and I'm a seller. Let's say we are selling the same item. There's pros and cons for yours and mine if we do a comparison for both of our identical item together.
I don't go to people's listing and claim: "Why you sell your PS3 for $400 for 500gb with ONLY two pathetic controllers and some 2nd hand games? I'm selling with lower gb BUT with much more expensive freebies and it's only $350 for the whole set" right on your listing whereby all your interested customers sees it. Because that's immoral dude and I don't do that.
(Unless you're selling some hand drawn and failed paper charms for $1 and I'll be commenting like, "what is this for?" as being honestly speaking I really don't get it why would people buy a piece of failed drawn paper for $1).
Sellers SHOULD help sellers as possible. Like if let's say, I saw an electronic good selling cheaper at retail due to promotion, yet a seller try to sell his/her's at higher price because he/she got it an non-promotional price and is unaware of the promotion, I'll inform he/she through private message so he or she can decide whether to drop the sale or adjust the price him/herself. Have some morals please.
03. NegoTillTheyHappy type
This kind of people, I've got no tolerance towards them AT ALL to be honest.
Especially on those IRRESPONSIBLE ones asking for the sky yet drop the deal because things can't go 80% cheaper from what they sell which is already more than 50% cheaper than retail. So you're asking for 130% off? Get a life dude spare a thought for the seller.
Recently, I've purchased a Samsung MV900F flip screen camera from a friendly seller in Carousell. She stated, $300 and non-nego because it's brand new and sealed in box. I made an offer of $300, and try my luck by asking for the best price she can offer (obviously trying to nego a little just ONCE). And she rightaway told me $280 for fast deal. As compared to retail, I'm gaining a little I supposed as I did some research and asked a retail and they quote me $399 with SD card.
So I asked whether her's include an SD card. Sadly she said no. However, she do have one brand new with price tag of $28.90. So i asked her if were to get together with the camera, how much would be it altogether? She then stated $300 for everything. Well, still cheaper than retail. In the end, I confirmed the deal with $300 + Micro SD card and make a request for her to unseal and charge the camera for me so that I can check whether the camera is in working condition as I meet her up for collection and payment. Having doubts that she won't agree to my request because she might also have doubts whether I will back out last minute or not (all seller have that minimal doubts to most 'confirmed' deals before payments made). Thankfully she gave me a benefit of doubt and charged the camera for me. And now I'm really excited to collect it from her later in the evening at the price of $300.
One thing about buyers, I do understand that we will try our luck to negotiate to a price whereby we're totally gaining our benefits to the fullest. Expecting that seller will be lenient and try to accommodate to your price. However, the most important thing is that Don't Push The Limit. People who made offer at ridiculous price which i won't usually entertain them. Because MY items is already at crazily cheap price (for those above $10, i got it at $25-50 at least), so I'll have the mindset, why should I let go my item at YOUR given ridiculous price. I'd rather give my friend or some great friend will purchase from me at cheaper price which so at least when my friend wears it i still can see it or at times still can borrow from them once for awhile if I need it again. Make sense?
If you really want it, be generous and not negotiate.
04. Sellers' problem
As I've tons of encounters with different types of sellers (even scammers lol), one thing I'm MOST concern of is the postage fees. Well I know most seller will think 'hey, I'm selling my items so cheaply to you so why am I paying for your postage fees?' Ok if you have this mindset, unless you're a housewife and are able to go according to your customer's schedules, if not, why be so stingy over the $1 - $2.55 postage fees then?
It saves the hassle and travelling fees and most importantly, save your time! I'm always providing free normal postage because I won't want to waste my time to plan meet ups with different buyers at different venues and only get like < $20 cash extra in my wallet. Unless with items more than $100, it's understandable that buyers would like to check the condition and goods before handling you the funds, then that's totally acceptable. I've opted for items like $14 for a top and I made an offer of $14 mailed (example). Yet buyers insisted of $15 mailed $15 mailed (additional $1 for postage) blah blah blah. So in the end, I freaking canceled the offer. I was thinking, well, since you are so stingy over the $1 than the $14, then forget it. Even I love the item a lot, and having the budget of $20 for it, yet because of the service and persistent on the WRONG thing, then FORGET IT. Inflexibility make losses unless to customer who doesn't do research lol. Sellers may think that they are not obligated to pay for your mailing charges. But remember one thing, buyers has got no obligation to by from YOU as well :) Is either he or she find other sellers OR buy something similar. AIYA JUST BE FLEXIBLE LA!
05. Buyers' problem
Buyers' problems are usually simple and sometimes annoying. MIA, go back on their words/back out.
Ok, buyers DO HAVE THEIR RIGHTS TO BACK OUT. But never ever and don't even try to be a hardcore idiot to back out during the VERY LAST MIN. Because sellers may have rejected better offers because of YOU. Remember, everything ought to be a balance. Fair and square. Don't compare prices using ideas like Online VS Online. Compare prices with Online VS Retail instead. You'll then realized it's totally worth it as well as not making a fool out of yourself by negotiating and ask for a ridiculous price.
Lastly, always remember to shop and sell wisely. Don't try to 'Fight' customers with other sellers. Because people have a pair of eyes to see and how other sellers AND buyers think of you in another way instead? Be a responsible buyer and shop with the thinking of Online VS Retail. And always remember, sell with flexibility.
Happy shopping all!
with love,
Vanny Goh.