Online Shopping: Will Pinoys go for it?

[bunny]

Just let me know what you think!

[CaRaMBa]

Yes, I think Pinoys will go for it once a secure payment system is established. I'm not sure if there are studies on this, I'll try to search.

I think that the market will not be very big, though. If the payment system is based on credit cards, then you can have big sales, from little customers. People with credit cards are still a minority, IMHO. If you can come up with a payment system that will not be based on credit cards, something like a prepaid card which is as good as cash, then that will be better. With that, your potential market will be bigger.

[batang uliran]

I think the most broad based system in the philippines would be credit card payment plus a COD system for those without credit cards.

[Ira]

Hi Buns, the online security should be airtight. You probably know naman how bad hacking is in this country...when you have your nukenabber on, you can catch dozens of people trying to look for security breaches in just an hour. Another important thing is the type of goods sold. If the goods are the hard-to-find stuff and those that don't really need the buyer to see the products in person then it's okay (e.g., books, CD's). But if it's like, let's say, clothes, I'd rather go to the mall and check out the stuff "in the flesh".

[orano]

it's like video home shopping, pero instead of watching the TV, you're infront of your PC. however, many may still hesitate to divulge their credit card numbers online kaya dapat tight talaga ang security and i agree, it will really help kung merong COD arrangement for those who don't have or who opt not to use credit cards.

[This message has been edited by orano (edited 10-29-1999).]

[Kamatayan]

Nope... because part of shopping in pinoy culture is going to the mall (palamig, lakwatsa, paholdap)... not just the actual buying... More importantly I think any idea coming from "You-Know-Who" is lame...

[batang uliran]

Do you buy things online? IF you do, what do you buy and from where do you buy these items?

[Ira]

Yes. My family and I have purchased several items over the past year or so over the web.
My brother bought Timberlands and LL Bean on their homepage. My sisters have bought LL Bean clothes through their website, too. I have also purchased a Pediatric Neurosurgery textbook at medbookstore.com, and, B/U: Great prices (20% off retail price, natalo pa niya ang presyo ng medical publisher!), great support online (they respond to emails within 24 hours, plus they have an online package tracker), and the book arrived within 5 days of ordering. I'll buy there again, definitely.

[Zen]

Uh huh, mostly CDs.. either from amazon or CDnow. :)

[BadGiRL]

question: how do u pay those things that u've purchased? by cod or check or credit card? in USD or in peso?

[MsEerie]

I bought CDs ages ago. That's it. I want to buy some books sana.

[Ira]

Badgirl: via international credit card, in US Dollars. Most foreign websites who deliver to this country don't accept play money, kaya forget about the peso or the COD.

[BadGiRL]

but they do deliver talaga to ur doorstep? and.... do they charge a certain amount of delivery fee? thx

[maxwell]

I think pinoys will grasp the idea of online shopping, the problem is not a lot of ppl have credit cards, as well as computers.

Secure payment through credit cards on the net has been long established, one just has to find the right ppl to help out to process the info.


[This message has been edited by maxwell (edited 11-23-1999).]

[Ira]

Badgirl: As a matter of fact, yes, they delivered it right at our doorstep, literally. My book came via DHL, in perfect condition. I paid $36 for the shipping, but then, the extra $36 was minimal, because the book itself was 20% off bookstore prices. So in the end I spent a lot less than if I bought it here. I would rather have it delivered via express mail than have it sent to other people, dahil nakaka-hassle sa kanila yun, kahit pa kamag-anak mo. There is nothing more annoying than padala for balikbayans who are already having a difficulty on how to bring everything they want to bring without exceeding the 30-70 kg luggage limit (depending on their origin).

[BadGiRL]

ira: thx...i think i'd prefer to have it delivered to my doorstep.... the quicker the book gets here the better...i am not fond of asking for favors...and besides...wala din naman ako kakilala sa states e hehehe.... :)

[popscenester]

i've bought cd's online...
and they we're not delivered to my doorstep...
i had to claim them from the post office...
but it was cool...
really cheaper than buying here...and those cd's wouldnt even be available here

[ruff]

i think e-commerce will be the next trend but it will probably attract more of the AB bracket for now ... my friend gets his books from amazon.com ... he says it cheaper there. what kamats said is true but on-line shopping is an attractive alternative ... surely i'd rather stay at home instead of going thru the hassle of driving thru traffic and parking on peak periods. normally though, mapapa-greenhills pa rin ako. hehehe! ;)

[Wangie]

home TV shopping clicked, but only for a captive market.

i think online shopping would also work but only for a captive market. kung yung service mo sa captive market okay, it will work on a long-term basis. but it won't be as broad and vast as we'd want it to be pa rin.

KAMATS has a point, though. shopping is a filipino hobby.

=)

[mparaz]

Looks like the next emerging trend is m-Commerce or mobile commerce where you buy stuff using your intelligent cell phone.

[phreax]

and when do you think will it happen here. next year, 2 years from now? Most of us are still using non-wap cellphones and wap-enabled phones are still expensive such as the nokia 7110. lucky me i have a palm but still have to buy a palm-modem yet.

[neth_row]

i don't think so, considering na maingat na maingat ang pinoy sa pera....

[KuyaDanny]

The other important component of online shopping is a reliable system to deliver the goods to the customer. Both UPS and Federal Express are here, but neither of them guarantee their delivery times.

Until such a service is made available, I am afraid that online shopping here will only result in frustrated customers.

[TM]

hi bunny siguro when you use a site server 7.0 kasi they have a security system payments for online buyers. saka if almost all pinoys have computers and know how to surf the internet siguro thats the time when filipinos will shop online. :D - tm

[KuyaDanny]

Further to Kamatayan's post above, it might be worth noting that online shopping, which first became popular in the US, is merely catalog shopping without the paper.

The United States has a long tradition of catalog shopping, dating back at least to the Depression.

Here in the Philippines, we generally want to see and touch the merchandise before buying. Often we want to test the stuff to see if it works. Heck, we even test lightbulbs!

So some "educating the consumer" first needs to be done before this idea takes off.

[Assassin_Mage]

In my opinion, there is a chance for online shopping to click in the Philippines. with some limitations though.

Unlike in the US where buyers range from as young as 9 years old to as old as 99 years old, the market range here in the Philippines would most likely be in the under 35's young professionals crowd who earn at least 20K per month.

And unlike in the US where sellers can be unknowns who simply have the capability to deliver the possibles, the Philippine market will only go to the established brick and mortar establishments.

A pure online presence will not be viable here in the Philippines. Due to the fact that Filipinos , as KuyaDanny said, want to see and touch the product. In the future, it will be possible to do so, have only online presence like Amazon.com. but for the meantime, only a combination of traditional a Brick and mortar establishment and an online presence will survive.

[This message has been edited by Assassin_Mage (edited 05-11-2000).]

[Eina]

Hi! Just wondering if amazon.com does door-to-door delivery and how long it takes for the order to arrive. Also, are additional taxes slapped on once the order reaches the Philippines? Thanks!

[zimdude]

Looks like http://www.myAyala.com is the poster child for Pinoy online shopping nowadays.

I hope it takes off in general, since we run the infrastructure underneath!

[StJames]

I got this mail from a friend who runs an E-commerce business. See what you can make out of it.

Keep your eye on this:

They're calling it shops or "S-Commerce" and it's being rolled out in cities and towns nationwide.

"It's a real revelation," according to Malcolm Fosbury, a middleware engineer from Hillingdon. "You just walk into one of these shops and they have all sorts of things for sale."

Fosbury was particularly impressed by a clothes shop he discovered while browsing in central London. "Shops seem to be the ideal medium for transactions of this type. I can actually try out a jacket and see if it fits me. Then I can visualize the way I would look if I was wearing the clothing." This is possible using a high definition 2D viewing
system, or "mirror" as it has become known.

Shops, which are frequently aggregated into shopping portals or "high streets", are becoming increasingly popular with the cash-rich time-poor generation of new consumers. Often located in densely populated areas people can find them extremely convenient.

And Malcolm is not alone in being impressed by shops. "Some days I just don't have the time to download huge Flash animations of rotating trainers and then wait five days for them to be delivered in the hope that they will actually fit," says Sandra Bailey, a systems analyst from Chelsea. "This way I can actually complete the transaction in real time and walk away with the goods."

Being able see whether or not shoes and clothing fit has been a real bonus for Bailey, "I used to spend my evenings boxing up gear to return. Sometimes the clothes didn't fit, sometimes they just sent the wrong stuff."

Shops have a compelling commercial story to tell too, according to Gartner Group retail analyst Carl Baker. "There are massive efficiencies in the supply chain. By concentrating distribution to a series of high volume outlets in urban centres-typically close to where people live and work-businesses can make dramatic savings in fulfillment costs. Just compare this with the wasteful practise of delivering items piecemeal to people's homes."

Furthermore, allowing consumers to receive goods when they actually want them could mean an end to the frustration of returning home to find a despatch notice telling you that your goods are waiting in a delivery
depot the other side of town.

But it's not just the convenience and time-saving that appeals to Fosbury,"Visiting a shop is real relief for me. I mean as it is I spend all day in front of a f**king computer."

http://www.pinoyexchange.com/lol.gif

[KuyaDanny]

Last week (13 July) I decided to try out www.officeclub.com.ph, (http://www.officeclub.com.ph/) an outfit which sells office supplies. They advertise in newspapers, and you can order in two ways: by phone and via the website.

I visited the website and ordered 24 storage boxes, costing about P1,200. I proceeded to checkout, getting my credit card data ready.

I found out they couldn't take credit cards just yet. COD only. Fair enough, so I provided the delivery details and left the "store". 15 minutes later I received an email message confirming my order. Wonderful. It said that my order would be delivered within 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays). That would mean Tuesday afternoon, at the latest.

No delivery.

So I called on Wednesday to check on my order. The people there couldn't find it, and I had to supply the data to them again, as if I were ordering over the phone. The boxes showed up this morning (less than 48 hours after my phone call).

This is my only experience with online shopping in the Philippines, and so far, it hasn't been exactly satisfactory. Has anybody here done better?

[This message has been edited by KuyaDanny (edited 07-22-2000).]

[NoisyCricket]

Well, the first thing that I bought over the net (although it wasn't delivered here to the Philippines) was a CD of IE4 about a year or two ago for $5. I just wanted to see if the technology worked, and no one would scam my bank account. No one did. I had the CD delivered to my relatives' house in the States, and they brought it over here. Worked like a charm.

So I started buying books from Amazon.com, and also had those delivered to my relatives' place. Definitely cheaper even with the shipping cost, although it definitely didn't have that "Oh cool, I'm in a Barnes & Nobles Bookstore in the States" feeling. hehehe.

Kung baga, wala "ambiance". And yes I do agree that people spend too much time in front of the computer, that it can dampen the shopping excitement. Kapag masakit ang pw_t mo sa kaka-upo sa silya ng matagal, shopping is not one of the things you'd like to do.. That's actually when you go to the Mall and stretch.. speaking of which...!

[Assassin_Mage]

LOL...

as for sitting in front of a computer for a very long stretch of time, it really depends on your point of view.

For me, I really do not mind. Because although I find the quickness of store transactions convenient, I feel better shopping with a computer. Since I can do multiple searches not just on one range.. but on a several ranges. and in different locations.

take for example the case of searching for a mobile phone. traditionally, I would go to a place such as greenhills and then search among the shops there. If I want more choices, I can move to another mall and then search.

Unlike if I go online. I can do simultaneous searches for mobile phones not only here in the Philippines but also internationally. and as a plus, the prizes are a big go getter.

take for example a nokia 9000i communicator for 450 dollars.. (9000i is a lesser version of the 9110, lesser in terms of resources but not in functionality).

That is, once you get past the payment security stage though.

[nerbie]

I can buy small stuff online like internet prepaid cards, cellcards, registering domains, online ebooks pero di ko pa nagawa yung as in mga real books, damit CDs etc :)

[Berting]

Yeah, I agree with kamatayan, pinoys loves malling. Kahit nga walang bibilihin eh.

[KuyaDanny]

These are some of the reults of a recent survey conducted by Greenfield Online, Inc on why consumers (in the United States) do not shop online:

Shipping charges 51%
Can't see and touch items 44%
Can't return items easily 32%
Worried about credit card safety 24%
Can't ask questions 23%
Takes too long to load screens 16%
Worried about delivery time 15%
Enjoy the activity of shopping offline 10%

One other interesting finding: 43% of online consumers are more comfortable purchasing from an online retailer that has a real-world store nearby (maybe so they can see the merchandise, or they know where to return goods they don't like).

[kerb]

im going online shopping whether ur coming or not :)

some reasons why people wants to shop online:
- lazy ***
- convenient
- u can shop in europe or anyhwhere in the world w/o buying plane tickets.
- di ka na makikipag siksikan sa traffic
- save time (if u r a busy person)
- more products available/more choices included with enough info.

[eligoy]

haven't tried it but i am willing. so far i've only been into online auctions. now those are fun! i really don't see the point on spending over the net; i'd rather earn from it. that's why i've gotten into those "earn money on the net" programs (i've been with them for almost 2 years now). what can i say? they work! i'm currently earning an extra $40-$60 a month. now don't you guys think that's better than spending money with online shopping? i have a lot of opportunities that do work. just check out my webpage in my profile if you guys are interested. :)

[KuyaDanny]

Here (http://www.pinoyexchange.com/Forum6/HTML/000468.html#21) is a related discussion about e-commerce in the Philippines, of which online shopping is a big part.

[makiling]

i was able to order online perhaps about four times and all because i was such in a great hurry to purchase a bday, xmas or valentines gift for my bf who was staying abroad. i thought it would be so expensive to buy something here and have it send via fedex or the like.

i tried ordering online from an online in his country to save on freight costs. the last time though i realized that the cost of shipping was more expensive than the product :-)

in one instance i couldnt seem to complete the ordering cycle since nothing comes out from the browser checking out so i emailed them about it. they gave me an overseas call and i just dictated my order. i kinda felt that was safer than typing my credit card online :-)

[gets]

yes, they do. check their site.

i have bought: computer stuff/dvds at buy.com, dvds/books @ amazon.com, dvds/golf stuff thru yahoo shopping, dvds/cds at columbiahouse.com, even more dvds at dvdempire.com and express.com, and flowers! at divisoria.com.

[Ada]

Moving this to the Business and Careers forum.

[frenzy]

Never tried to buy online. :(

[cybertaz]

bought supplements from a website using my creditcard. the items came in after a week.

[sunofmunky]

I just wonder, who among PEX'rs shop on-line yung totoo ha? then how do u made payment? All i know is No Credit(card) No purchase policy. Is it safe to give ur Cr Card #?

I don't hav any Credit card that's why no experiance at all!

[accord57]

I tried it only once. I went to http://www.carparts.com and saw part there that I really like. I looked around for the same part but sobrang mahal sa regular store dito. For me as much as posible ayokong ibigay ang card number ko sa net but I tried it kase gusto ko yung part talaga. I guess it's okay kase wala pa naman nag mimiraglo sa credit card ko.

[KingTriton]

I have shopped from Amazon.com,Tennis-Warehouse plus some other sites. You definitely need a credit card to buy something... If you dont have a card you cant buy anything. I was able to buy from a specialty store, but there was no online buying so i just ordered by sending my order through email and they did not accept cc's so i just sent them a check.

[mark_17]

Tried buying at Ebay. Yun nga lang cash! =P Masaya sa Ebay, daming mura! =P

[Pepe]

I regularly purchase items online -- no problems with my CC so far. Use Paypal for your Ebay auctions.

[dran]

Originally posted by mark_17
Tried buying at Ebay. Yun nga lang cash! =P Masaya sa Ebay, daming mura! =P

tama ka dyan :D. siguri mga july 2000 nakabili ako ng Hercules TNT2 Pro card for only $49 :p. mahirap lang talaga kumuha ng mga items kasi problema yung pagbayad.

paypal is only available in some select countries? try nyo rin bidpay but i dont know if you can purchase a m.o. from a credit card in the phils.

[Ira]

I shop online, usually in Amazon, Medbookstore, Coach, and rarely, some other sites. I use Visa or Mastercard. I've had no problems with buying online so far. Before you purchase, check whether the store has a secure server and if they have an assurance or policy on how to keep your credit card number safe. Otherwise, if the company itself has this disclaimer policy about you risking leaking your credit card number over the internet, forget it.

[kerb]

first time ko mag shop online last month :). i used my CC (mastercard) to buy a book at amazon. mahal yung shipping cost :(. so far.... di pa dumarating wahhh!!!!
ppl, gaano katagal dumating yung book na binili nyo?

[Witty]

i buy my CDs online.... http://www.blackmetal.com and http://www.theendrecords.com.... used Credit Card... okay naman.. no problem... minsan nauuna yung cd minsan nauuna yung bill.... average waiting time ko para dumating yung item is around 3-4 weeks....

[mamangbumbero]

I buy stuff online as much as I can -- groceries (when it's snowing like hell; webvan or peapod), pizza (domino's), CDs, books, gifts, wines, computer parts, peripherals, gizmos, etc. I sometimes even buy shirts online. BTW I've done a few purchases online thru kozmo.com -- anything they sell, delivered w/in an hour. Pretty sweet!

Using credit card online is nothing different to you giving your card to a waiter, or a cashier -- they swipe the card, and they get your account information. But it helps if you avoid shaddy websites.

[Pepe]

Shipping cost is one of the factors that makes online shopping unattractive for non-US buyers. I recommend having it shipped to a US address, then from there, shipping it to Manila via Airborne Express (cheaper).

[mark_17]

Originally posted by Pepe
Shipping cost is one of the factors that makes online shopping unattractive for non-US buyers. I recommend having it shipped to a US address, then from there, shipping it to Manila via Airborne Express (cheaper).

That is right... before you bid on an item at Ebay, try to email the seller for the S&H cost. Yung iba kse will overcharge you (kapal ng mukha nila!). Eniwei, meron din naman na actual cost ang icha-charge sayo. Pag priority mail(3-5 days), medyo me pagkamahal. Kung gusto mo talaga makamura, sabihin mo send it by surface, mga 4-6 weeks ang delivery. Kaso, ang problema, yung mga proirity packages ko dumadating sa ken 1 month or more after ma-receive nya yung payment ko. Imagine na lang kung di priority yung binayaran ko.. baka amagin na ko sa kakahintay. I try to buy item at Ebay REAL cheap so kahit priority ang bayaran ko, mura pa rin. Kelangan lang talaga ng konting tyaga. Was able to purchase an authentic Fossil sunglasses /w Tin can for $19(S&H included, Priority Airmail). It usually retails for $35. Nakamura ako ng $16. Natuwa ako kse aside sa nakamura ako, ako lang meron dito... tried to look for the same model sa Fossil stores sa mga malls, wala talaga!!! =P

[dran]

Originally posted by Pepe
Shipping cost is one of the factors that makes online shopping unattractive for non-US buyers. I recommend having it shipped to a US address, then from there, shipping it to Manila via Airborne Express (cheaper).

yung video card na nabili ko sa ebay i think $9 binayaran ko for shipping and it took 2 weeks to arrive.

[lukekarol]

I have been buying online but remains very selective (not on the product but on the company carrying the product or service). I am pretty confident with Amazon...

[KuyaDanny]

I have purchased (with great satisfaction) from these sites:

Egghead
Beyond.com
Computability
Computer Discount Warehouse
Amazon.com
Barnes and Noble
Land's End

and some other sites operated by manufacturers/distributors, such as Sennheiser and Sony. I have given out credit card information and haven't been defrauded in the last four years.

There is a separate topic here about credit cards, and I would like to highlight that I have a separate credit card which I use only for online shopping. I have asked the credit card company to give me a very low limit on this card (much lower than they would otherwise allow) so that any potential losses are reduced in case of fraud.

[gets]

shopped at
buy.com
amazon.com
outpost.com
dvdempire.com
yehey.com
divisoria.com
champssports.com
columbiahouse.com
some shops in shop.yahoo.com
etc.
some have my billing info stored.
i only use my card if the site is secure.
but check on the charges.
dati i sold a cd and a dvd on half.com and instead of paying me, they billed my card! its a good thing i was able to call and ask about the charge and they credited back the amount.

[Ænema]

I've purchased stuff from Amazon.com and dvdexpress.com. Haven't had a bad experience yet. As long as the site site you're dealing with is well established and well known, I think your credit card number would be with them.

[maxinegirl]

Originally posted by Ira
I shop online, usually in Amazon, Medbookstore, Coach, and rarely, some other sites. I use Visa or Mastercard. I've had no problems with buying online so far. Before you purchase, check whether the store has a secure server and if they have an assurance or policy on how to keep your credit card number safe. Otherwise, if the company itself has this disclaimer policy about you risking leaking your credit card number over the internet, forget it.

doc ira, about ordering/buying online from amazon.com...how do u compute for the shipping rates? eg, diba for books they have a per book and per shipment rate? do you add the costs or if you order more than one item, they only charge you "per shipment" (making it cheaper to order in bulk)?

[Ira]

The shipping rates have a one time shipment fee, plus a per item charge, dependent on what type of shipment you choose. We usually just get standard shipment for Amazon Books since the per item charge ($1.95) is cheaper than when you send it thru DHL ($5.95). The shipment fee is also cheaper. They have a link for shipping rates in the website for you to compute the charges if you want to check it out.

[tadeus]

Try http://www.e-2-door.com

It makes your eshopping much easier!

Ako di ko na kailangan pumunta ng post office para tubusin.

Mas mura na at mas mabilis! Pwede ka pa magshop sa lahat ng sites. Mas madali pa dahil register ka lang sa kanila tapos buy na!

okey nga to kaya recommended ko!

[Pitr Dubovich]

Am recently discoverink this site:

Black Star (http://www.blackstar.co.uk/)

They are claimink that they are able to ship their products anywhere in the world for free.

Please to be clickink on this link (http://www.blackstar.co.uk/help/help_postage) for details.

Am wantink to know if any of you have tried this before. Is bogus or not? Is seemink too good to be true, is why am beink hesitant.

[Pexus Addictus]

You can also try online shopping at...

Tutuban Shopping Centre (http://www.22ban.com)

[acquiesce]

ey guys! try shopping at http://conyoshoes.tripod.com
great deals for signature shoes!

[karengkeng]

Last year I bought a plane ticket through travel.com.au. I needed to buy a round-trip ticket from Sydney to Melbourne and when I checked the price in Manila, it's so expensive. The price I got from the site is extremely cheap because I bought in advance. And I did not have to get the actual ticket when I reached Sydney, I just presented my passport in the Check-in counter before my flight and they accommodated me.

This year, I haven't bought anything online. Wala nang pera!

[junh]

If you REALLY want to check out the best of e-commerce LOCALLY, just click on the link below:
http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php3?threadid=40958

[conyoshoes]

If you are looking for original shoes at its lowest price possible... visit http://ConyoShoes.tripod.com/collection.htm

[cloud strych9]

doc ira, i tried ordering from the coach.com website only to find they don't accept international orders/shipping. Were you able to order online from Coach because you had your purchases delivered to a U.S. address? Just wondering. Thanks.