A lot of people have been asking me about how I shop online, what I do, what I go through. Many think that it's all complicated and that there me a lot of unwelcomed surprises (*ehem* fees *ehem*). Let me share with you everything I've learned that might help you.

The Ultimate Online Shopping Guide
for Filipino Shoppers

I divided my shopping into two broad categories, namely:



Domestic online shopping and International online shopping

Things you'll need:
Internet connection
PC/smartphone
Credit Card*
Awesome product you are dying to have

International online shopping

Scenario

- You are purchasing from an online store, based in another country. The shipping is either free. or charged. The prices are in foreign currency. 

Issue #1:

- The delivery time may vary from 3 days up to 40 days. Depends on how much you are willing to spend on delivery fee. You're probably even wondering if Amazon ships to the Philippines to start with. (Yes, they do)

What Nitpickle says:


- I usually opt for the cheapest delivery fee for small items. Then I use UPS or FedEx for items that come in big boxes. Another option is JohnnyAir (but more on that next time).

If you are trying international for the first time, I suggest you buy from eBay. The checkout process is simple and easy to follow. Many int'l eBay sellers offer free int'l shipping with no minimum spending so it's good to take advantage of this. (A more detailed article about buying from eBay--soon)

It's good tos start with small items, too. The risks are bigger when the items are.

The best part about ordering from eBay is that sellers declare your purchases as "gifts" if you're buying them for personal use. (Haven't tried this with electronics, if you're asking)

- Shipping fee may be free at a minimum purchase amount (say, Free Shipping for orders above $100), if not, you will be given options. Prices vary per courier per delivery time. Will talk more about these couriers when I discuss about custom duties and taxes. 

Issue #2
- The store is based in another country and will probably not offer cash-on-delivery so you're going to need your credit card. The conversion from their currency to peso will be based on your credit card's exchange rate. If you are paying through Paypal, you will be charged at their own conversion rate.

What Nitpickle Says:

- Check your bank's conversion rate through their website and compare it with the one from Paypal. Paypal is usually higher but sometimes, some stores only have Paypal as their payment gateway so you wouldn't have a choice. This is fine by me because I get a little comfort using it.

How to check the currency exchange rate of Citibank
How to check the currency exchange rate of Paypal

Issue #3
-  Customs duties and taxes in the Philippines is indefinite, as everyone says.

What nitpickle says:

- Customs fees are HOT mostly with branded items--especially with electronic gadgets. The customs fees are the hardest to estimate when shopping from outside the country. If your products will be shipped through regular mail, you are going to deal with customs officials in the post office. This shouldn't be much of a problem, though, if you are buying small items.

Regular Mail vs Courier Services

Regular Mail: SingPost, HongKong Post, PhilPost, SwissPost

Regular Mail is the cheaper but slower shipping option. Usually takes 20-30 days. I usually get my package within 30 days. One time I was lucky enough to get it in 14 days--but don't count on it. Most, if not all the time, you have to pick up your package from the post office. You'll receive a parcel pickup notice looking like this:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Photo credits to http://www.astoldbyangela.com/[/caption]

You'll have to bring this to the post office to get your parcel. I only experienced one time that it went straight to my door. I always pick up my packages from Makati Post Office and have to pay only P50 duties. (They have increased it to P100 last September 15, 2014)

Courier Services: FedEx, UPS, DHL

I strongly suggest UPS or FedEx (never tried DHL). Both pricey--but fast, straight to your doorstep and have a reliable tracking system. You get real-time updates about your package's whereabouts until they are delivered. UPS and FedEx does all the computation for you, and you pay the custom charges to them.
My items usually arrive in about 3 days. They will call you before they deliver and they will tell you how much the fees are so you can prepare. For a 5kg $30 box of unbranded items from Hong Kong, I paid roughly PHP 1,500 for it (all custom duties and taxes included). Take note that 5kg is actually heavy so expect a better price for smaller packages. These are non-negotiable (should be). It isn't definite which between the 2 is cheaper but based on my experience, I have paid higher shipping fee with FedEx, but less custom fees.

(Screenshots from my previous orders from Hong Kong)
UPS:



FedEx:

Domestic online shopping

WARNING: This can be addictive.
This is the easier, less risky option. Delivery within the country will not incur any customs charges, delivery charge is/should be cheaper. More payment options are available. Downer: your market is very limited. One reason I do online shopping is when I want products that are not available locally. However, I still do this often because it's convenient and gives me a hell-lotta time to compare and decide.

Scenario

You found a product being sold in a Philippines-based online store. The shipping is/should be faster and easier, and if you're lucky, they might be offering cash-on-delivery. Some people sell with an online shop with the carts and baskets and checkout and credit card processing, some people sell on social media like Facebook (FB) and Instagram (IG).

Issue #1:
- Buying from FB and IG sellers can be a tedious process. All the processing, invoicing and payment is done manually. But you can get used to it.

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1) You see a product up on their page
2) You take note of the product title/product code
3) You send a message to the seller to inquire
4) You send the order form they provide you with, fill it out, and sent it back (through email, SMS, Viber)
5) They will provide you with their bank details, deposit to their personal account, send the deposit slip
6) They'll verify your payment then they'll ship the items the next day
For Manila-based sellers, it usually takes about 1-2 days for delivery within Metro Manila, then 1-3 days for provincial.
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Nitpickle says:
Buying from IG and FB requires a little more effort, but most of the time, they offer items a lot cheaper. You have to be extra careful. Always, as in always check for feedback! Not only the feedback they post, but look at the comments from users, check if they are not dummy accounts (yes, I do this). I suggest you go for the stores recommended by your friends. If you are risking buying from a less-known seller, avoid expensive items. Some people offer meet-ups, too, I prefer shipping, but that's up to you.
The prices are in PHP and shipping are usually between 50-100 pesos only.

Issue #2:

- Buying from corporate online stores on the other hand, is a lot easier, Add to cart, checkout, pay--but you'll never know which website to trust.

Nitpickle Says:

Corporate stores like Lazada and Zalora both offer cash-on-delivery. So if you are hesitant in using your credit card, this is the way to go.
Not all online stores are trustworthy so you have to be careful. I always do a background check before making any purchases. You should do, too.

When buying from Zalora or Lazada, make sure you look around for discount vouchers! Yes, they are everywhere, check your e-mail, your BPI credit card bills, your mail box. They also have Mastercard Mondays and Visa Wednesdays (not sure how it's called, you can double check). Make advantage of it all! (LOL)

 

And that's it!

I have been shopping online since 2009 (I was a student back then). I started with buying a phone case from eBay, then it just went on and on and on after that. Even when I get out of the country, I make sure I do a lot of it as well.
It can be very tricky and being skeptic about it at first is normal. It just takes a little getting used to. In no time, you'll be shopping from socks to gadgets like Rebecca Bloomwood-style. (Kidding. Don't let that happen.)
Don't forget to keep control and don't get carried away. Remember, online shopping is easy, but earning money isn't just as much!
You can never be too careful. Make sure you do all the checking routines and you'll be fine. :)

I'll be very glad to share with you all I've learned through my online shopping experiences. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!