Online Shopping Etiquette: For the Customer

Online Shopping Etiquette for Buyers

As an online shopper for four years, and an online merchant for cosplay wigs, accessories and contact lenses (and a re-seller of Hatah Hatah hats) for almost a year now, I have seen the boom of the e-commerce community – and also the boom of a lot of scammers on both sides.

So you're a new online shopper and you've got your pretty eye on an item? So how do you go about the transaction?

As an online shopper, one has to know that online shops function almost like the shops we go to at malls and such except transactions are done online and there are waiting times such as processing and delivery.

  

1. Read the Terms and Conditions. One of the biggest faults an online buyer forgets is to read the terms and conditions of the shop. Online shops are also run by people, often by students, housewives or small time professionals looking for an extra source of income and often are comprised of one person. For their benefit, they write their terms and conditions on notes provided by their sites, for example Facebook, you can find most Terms and Conditions in their Notes or Albums. 



An example of a Terms and Conditions page

2. 2. Like Pages have Order Form Apps. With shops slowly drifting to the convenience of like pages (because they do not have friend limits or photo limits) they now come with form applications to, not only make transactions easier, but also to keep a steady and passive record of those who have "finalized" their orders. This is also a reason why us shop keepers can keep track of our clients especially bogus buyers.

   

   An example of the navigation buttons with the Order Form apps of a shop's Like Page

   

   How an Order Form looks like

3. Be courteous and patient. Some of us online shop keepers have our own jobs outside for the computer, for me I am also working as a journalist and a writer, so it may take us sometime to answer to your queries. Also be courteous as we also have feelings too and often conversations online can be mistaken especially when one is writing in CAPS.
4. Follow their instructions. Meet up points and dates are always set up by seller for the convenience of their buyers and themselves and are often set in public areas like SM. A good seller doesn't set up meet up points at night (where on is susceptible to trouble such as hold-ups and kidnapping) or at unfamiliar places for them. Take note that sellers are not super heroes and doesn't memorize every location in your area so please do not insist them to visit your area especially if you live far away.
5. Be sure with your transactions. What we hate the most are joy reservers and bogus buyers. This also takes a toll on the shop as it chases away potential buyers or delays a batch.
6. If in doubt always ask around. As a buyer, one cannot fathom the doubt lingering over a shop's legitimacy. It's best to ask around if you are in doubt of the proof albums.

If I missed out anything, please list down your suggestions and comments at the comment box! :) 

MSG-free food at Hong Kong Kitchen

Photo credits to Sir Ram.

This is a seriously delayed post as I have been so busy with work and all but I just need to share an awesome gourmet experience here in our city.

  
 Hong Kong Kitchen, a Chinese restaurant here in Iloilo invited me and a couple of my friends out to try their food at their reopening. And I have to say the food there is A.W.E.S.O.M.E. Sure, I have eaten so much Chinese in my life (given that my family is also a art Chinese) but this restaurant's gotten my taste buds intrigued.

Hong Kong Kitchen has been serving MSG-free meals for a couple of years now and if you were in my shoes you would appreciate MSG-free food. Why? Because the food doesn't taste the same! At each dish you would savor you would feel that the flavor explodes in your mouth in a natural way. 

Duck with Mashed Potato

As I would quote from an anime I would watch when I was young, "There's a spring in my mouth!"

Mark WTH are you doing with your food?!

Science Trivia: (Source MedicineNet.com)

MSG is monosodium glutamate which is an flavor enhancer and a key ingredient for cuisines in China and Japan. MSG is associated with the "Chinese restaurant syndrome" in which symptoms include ehadaches, dizziness, facial pressure, tightness of the jaw, tingling sensations, chest and back pain. High amounts of MSG may result into widening of the arteries. However, some do not believe this and often associate it as an allergic reaction.