Browse, click, buy
New Straits Times (22 Apr 2013)

Online shopping is gaining a strong and dedicated following, writes Rozana Sani

THE door bell rings at a home in Putra Heights, setting off a flurry of excitement. Tiny feet ambulate towards the door and a pretty face peeks through the glass window.

"Mummy, it's the man from the courier service. Does he have a present for me?" a voice pipes up.

It's 4-year-old Ayra Syed Muaz, with her 2-year-old sister, Raina, hot at her heels. Iza Hamid, 30, a full-time mum as well as blogger, has already signed for and collected the  parcel at the gate.

"The present today is for me, girls. Come and see what I've got," she says, carefully opening a shoe box from Jessica Simpson.com.

Parcels are delivered weekly, if not more often, to Iza's house. They can be  from local blogshops or websites of popular international high-street brands.  One thing for sure, the deliveries bring a lot of joy to this family.

MEET THE SHOPAHOLIC
A confessed online shopping addict, the engineering graduate from Multimedia University does most of her shopping online, citing convenience as her biggest motivator.

"Everything is just a click away! I can shop in my pyjamas and the stores are never closed!" she says, adding that it beats going to the mall, especially when she has the kids in tow.

However, online shopping was not quite a breeze for Iza, initially.

"My first purchase was a Dior lip gloss which I bought on eBay about seven years ago when I was still single. The lip gloss turned out to be fake and I stopped purchasing online, for fear of getting ripped off again," she says.

But after Ayra was born, Iza gave online shopping a try again.

"I needed to buy something for my baby but according to Malay confinement practices, women are restricted from going out. So I started to shop online again. And I've continued to do so till today!" she says.

What does she buy online? Lots and lots of clothes and shoes for the girls and herself.

She says: "I have purchased bags, a diaper bag, a baby sling, accessories (necklaces, brooches, scarves), lingerie, Instagram photobook, make-up, and even a Disney Princess bath mat. I do most of my online shopping from international websites, but I also buy from local merchants too. I like to use PayPal because it's a safer way to pay online."

For herself, Iza cites Forever 21, Asos, ThePopLook, Azorias as her favourite online stores for clothing. For shoes, there's Zappos, DSW, Jessica Simpson and 6pm. Accessories come from  Piperlime, FashionValet and Forever 21.

Lingerie from Victoria's Secret and make-up or skincare from Sephora and StrawberryNET.

Meanwhile, Ayra and Raina get their dresses from babyGap,  Gymboree and Carter's. Their shoes are ordered online at The Children's Place and Old Navy.

"I usually make online purchases from my computer at home, or sometimes on my iPhone. If it's eBay, I use the eBay app for iPhone."

Iza says she shops online about once a week.

"I don't really set a monthly budget (I'm still working on that) but I do set a limit for every purchase I make. For example, if I want to buy a pair of shoes, I will set a limit for it (say, not more than US$100) and I stick to it," she says earnestly.

THE GOOD, THE BAD
"Besides the great deals on various items that I've purchased, one of my best shopping experiences was when a merchant gave me a full refund for a tiny mistake they made and I still got to keep the item. My worst shopping experience would be when I did not receive the items I purchased and didn't even get a respond or refund from the seller," she says.

Iza advises online shopping newbies to start shopping at a well-regarded website.

"Shop only at secure and trusted websites. If you're shopping on eBay, look for trusted sellers and those with close to 100 per cent positive feedback. You can also do some research about the item that you want and compare prices before buying, which is what I normally do. Also, find out the merchant's privacy policy as well as their terms and conditions," she says.

Iza talks about her shopping experience at her blog The Pink Stilletos (thepinkstilettos.com) where she also shares her other hobbies like cooking and travelling.

She hopes her blog followers and visitors get useful tips. "I love shopping and I know there is nothing more valuable than good advice," she says.

There's a shop on her website where she makes available pre-loved and new items to readers who like her style.

"Everything is in good condition. Some have never been used because I picked the wrong size or the items just do not fit me or my daughters. It's a great way to clear my wardrobe to make way for new purchases," she says.

Just kid's stuff

ONE thing most mothers of young children truly enjoy is dressing up their offspring.

That's how 29-year-old Norlina Abu Bakar got hooked to online shopping. Being a first-time mum five years ago launched her into the addictive world of online retail.

"After giving birth to my eldest girl Aisyah, I was scouring the Net for branded clothes and kids stuff. I was thrilled and excited to see such adorable and useful baby items. It wasn't long before I started to make online purchases. My very first purchase was a dress for Aisyah," says the stay-at-home mum whose second child, Fatihah, is 2.

Among Norlina's purchases were clothes, toys, thermos baby bottles, a car seat and carrier for Aisyah. These days she likes to buy her daughters clothings by Pumpkin Patch, Gap, Zara and Polo. Recently, she bought a motorised scooter for Aisyah, which she says is priced at 50 per cent lower than that at a local department store. She also confesses to buying a few pieces of clothing online for herself.

"I want to make sure my kids are dressed well. Online shopping offers options and styles that we don't usually get at physical stores. And more often than not, prices are lower. Online shopping  also saves time as you don't have to look for parking, etc," says Norlina.

All you have to do when shopping online is to stay focused because everything is available at your fingertips. So it is easy to get tempted and sidetracked, says the bubbly woman.

Norlina shops at local blogshops via her smartphone or tablet  even when on-the-go. She pays through online bank transfers.

"I  make purchases at local online stores because it's easier for me to keep track of the items. Should I need to change an item or request for a refund (if there are issues like the wrong size or product defect), it is less complicated to mail it back."

Norlina spends about RM250 a month for online purchases for her daughters.

She says: "When you buy things online, you really need to check  the accuracy of the description and authenticity. When buying branded items, what's most important is the credibility of the seller. I have been quite lucky because I have been dealing with trusted sellers. All the items I ordered are exactly as described online. The only unfortunate incident I have encountered was a late delivery."

Norlina advises new online shoppers to know their spending limits and to set a spending budget.

"When shopping online, you also need to consider the postage charges. Other than that, online shopping is simply convenient as long as we pick the right places to shop."

Her online shopping experience has also prompted Norlina to venture into an online business.

"After being a shopper for so long,  I feel I know enough to offer others something to buy. Together with a friend, I have embarked on a shawl business on Facebook called Rayna Exclusive," she says.

Amazing customer service a must

TIA Hakim's first brush with online shopping happened when she was studying in Melbourne in 2007. She was amazed to find that most of the stores at the malls there offer online shopping services.

"My first purchase was a winter coat from Valley Girl, an Australian brand. I made the purchase in the comfort of my  pyjamas, on my bed, and it arrived at my apartment two days later. The whole process was convenient, fast and very easy. Needless to say, I was hooked from then on," says  Tia.

After graduating with a double major in accounting and finance from the University of Melbourne, Tia became an auditor at one of the Big 4 accounting firms. Today, at 26, she is a financial consultant with Public Mutual, a blogger and mum to a 16-month-old daughter.

"My job requires me to be out and about meeting people every day. So I tend to shop online via my phone while waiting for  clients. My main phone is a BlackBerry but I have a Samsung Galaxy Note as a second phone just so that I can browse on a  bigger screen. But having said that, I actually prefer browsing and purchasing at home using the MacBook because it's easier," she says.

So far, Tia has bought clothes, shoes, cosmetics, accessories, electronics and even dessert online.

"I buy them from both local and international sellers. The usual payment methods are bank transfer, credit card and PayPal," she says.

Tia makes an online purchase almost every day! "Sometimes, a few purchases a day. Even the courier knows me now. I do set aside a monthly budget but the amount varies from time to time," she says.

Of her online shopping experience, Tia says the best is always when dealing with online shops that give amazing customer service.

"For example, Fashion Valet (www.fashionvalet.com) sent me the wrong item once. After I informed them, they told me to keep the wrong item and they immediately sent me the correct one. Most online shops would require you to post the wrong item back to them. The worst experience was when my parcel got lost in the mail and when the item is not exactly as pictured or described," she says.

Online shopping saves a lot of time, says Tia, provided you already know what you're looking for.

She says: "You can just search for something in particular instead of going through racks and racks of clothes from one store to another. I shop less at physical stores now, which is great news to my husband because it means no more long hours of sitting and staring at his phone while I pile on him clothes that I want to try or buy." 

Tia says it pays to browse through a few online shops before making a purchase.

"Sometimes you can find the exact item elsewhere but at a much cheaper price. Online shopping can also be very addictive so keeping track of your purchases is a must," she says.

Pragmatic shopper

MANY online shoppers evolve to become online merchants. But Natasha Loo was a merchant who turned shopper instead.

The executive at a public relations company used to run a blogshop with a friend in 2008, when blogshops were all the rage here.

"We did quite well as the clothes sold out pretty quick. As we both got busier, I started running it on my own and in my final year of college, I decided to stop as things got hectic with all the assignments to be done," she says.

Then the tide turned. Instead of being the seller, Loo became the buyer.

"Shopping is definitely one of my hobbies. Besides that I love to travel and explore new places - shopping overseas is a plus point. I love to shop for things or brands that I can't find locally. On top of that, I work with a team that manages lifestyle and luxury brands, so I am constantly exposed and kept-up-to date with all the latest trends of the season. So online shopping is a logical extension of my interest," says Loo.

She makes most of her purchases at home from her notebook or whenever she is taking a break from office work.

"I do browse on my mobile but only make purchases through the notebook," she says.

Among the websites she frequents are Asos, Shopbop, Revolve Clothing and Victoria's Secret.

"I also often make purchases in the office from www.nailfiesta.com because I have a colleague in the office that loves to do her nails too. We often  purchase from Nail Fiesta together or with other colleagues to enjoy free shipping  when we purchase RM150 and above," says Loo.

She still prefers shopping at physical stores, which enables her  to try on the items especially shoes, pants and make-up.

"Personally, as purchases are just a click away, I tend to impulse buy when online",  she confesses.

Watch out for fraudsters

TO put things into perspective, Euromonitor International in 2011 reported that the Internet retail market in the country was expected to exceed RM1.9 billion (US$623 million) by 2016 from RM842 million in sales in 2011.

Chief executive officer of CyberSecurity Malaysia Dr Amirudin Abdul Wahab says that while there is no official figure, local online shopping activities often centre on fashion merchandises such as women's apparel.

"Women's apparel are as popular with online shoppers as they are in retail stores. Online window-shopping is more private, and shoppers have more time to scrutinise the products without pressure from the sales assistant. Also popular are products that are cheaper if purchased online such as books, software and apps," he says.

Products that used to be ordered via telephone have made a smooth transition to online stores. These include gifts such as flowers and chocolates and travel arrangements. 

"In the travel industry, lower prices are usually offered as incentives for consumers who deal directly with the airlines (online ticketing), hotels and car rental companies using the Internet booking system. For industries like automotive and property: People may not be buying cars, and homes online but they are ‘window-shopping' online - in other words, consumers tend to browse company websites to compare products before they visit car showrooms or property show-houses," Amirudin says.

CyberSecurity Malaysia, he adds, has been receiving reports of fraud in online purchases through its Cyber999 Help Centre. "Mostly, they involve users who purchase products at online shopping websites or on social networking websites. A fraudster's modus operandi - advertise some items for sale on an online shopping website or social networking site. After some negotiations, the buyer (victim) will make an online bank transfer to the fraudster.

Upon receipt of the money, the seller goes missing and does not entertain calls or SMSes from the victim. The victim only realises the ruse when the product fails to arrive despite repeated calls to the sender.

Amirudin says not many people know that they can report such  incidents to CyberSecurity Malaysia. So the organisation receives only a few such reports - eight in January, 10 in February and 18 in March.

He says: "Online shoppers must be vigilant against fraudsters. Irresponsible people are abusing the convenience of online shopping to cheat potential buyers."

There are Safety Tips for online shoppers at www.cybersafe.my.

Amirudin says: "As part of the Internet Banking Task Force, we are supporting the Association Of Banks Malaysia E-Banking Fraud Awareness Programme to educate the public on Phishing (online), Smishing (SMS), and Vishing (Voice or Telephone Call) scams."