There was a point in my life when I shopped online a lot. This was even before Multiply changed its focus from being a photo storage to an online marketplace.
The typical purchase system would be you contact the seller and relay your order, seller will reply and provide payment details- deposit payment (bank deposit or Gcash)- seller ships order to your address. Some sellers accomodate meet ups too (this is perfect for items that need to be fitted like shoes or for bulk purchases with expensive shipping).
Just recently, Multiply relaunched itself as an online marketplace. Some online stores now accept payments via Paypal for an extra fee. I have a paypal account but I refuse to pay the extra fees so I still do bank deposits. hehe
I've had my share of difficult and sometimes, fake sellers (I once lost 1300+ to a fake store) but that's all in the past. I know better now.
Enough chit chat. I'd like to share my favorite online stores so you can enjoy online shopping too!
For pre-orders from the US or UK:
1. Barat Mode - http://baratmode.multiply.com/
I discovered Baratmode when they were just starting out in the online universe. The great thing about Baratmode is that they can pre-order from those indie-style online stores in the States. I once had glow in the dark drumsticks ordered as Christmas gift for my brother Joop. They also accept preorders from UK sites but I've never tried ordering since they have pretty much everything in the States.
Number of transactions with this store: Three
Talk to: Jean Guerrero
2. House of Flair -http://houseofflair.multiply.com/
House of Flair is one store I had a pretty recent transaction with. While a tad more expensive that other pre-order sites, they have one thing others don't offer: EBAY PRE-ORDERS! That's what I love about HoF. :) Plus free shipping throughout the Philippines.
Number of transactions with this store: Two
Talk to: Suyen Lopez
3. Rukia- http://rukia0814.multiply.com/
This store offers one of the best deals when it comes to pre-orders. It's usually the most affordable when I have items quoted from different sellers. I've only had one transaction with this store but I've inquired a lot of times. All my inquiries have responded to quickly and politely.
Number of transactions: One
Talk to: Shally Mateo
Baratmode, HoF, and Rukia also have on-hand items such as Urban Decay cosmetics (one of my favorite brands!), Sephora, Victoria's Secret, and ELF.
Footwear:
Order pretty boat shoes and espadrilles from https://www.facebook.com/EmmEnriquezII
Talk to: Emm Enriquez
You can never have enough shoes so grab another pair from from Skeddadle https://www.facebook.com/skedaddleshoes
Talk to: RC or Issa (Or visit them at the Global Pinoy Bazaar on Nov.5-6 at the Rockwell tent.)
They're very much legit so go!
For skin care items:
1. Khyrstal Beauty - http://khrystalbeauty.multiply.com/
Hands down, the best transaction ever. You see I was running out of glycolic toner (which is the best toner as it removes every last bit of makeup and grime on my face) so I decided to order last night, around 8 pm. Ms. Anne replied immediately to accommodate my order and said I can pay their rider once he delivers my goods the next day. This is they first time I had a 'cash-on-delivery' transaction. Although the rider arrived way later than I expected (around 7 pm), he was very nice and even explained he had a lot of deliveries and I was the last delivery for the day.
Ms. Anne also responded quickly and politely to all my questions and follow ups. But wait, there's more good news! This store offers the cheapest deals on generic derma products. I've purchased this toner from three different sellers (out of curiosity) and discovered they're the same stuff. Same packaging, just different prices.
2. Absynthe Bath and Body
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Absynthe-Bath-and-Beauty/164303820247128
Absynthe is one of the more expensive lines sold online. Their products are enriched with EMU oil that provide the skin with a ton of benefits. They're the only Asian member of the American EMU Association so yeah, go ahead. You can trust them. Their Rice bran + Emu soap actually cleared my skin drastically. My skin isn't the clearest yet but this soap definitely helped a lot. I've been putting argan oil on the tips of my hair too. My waves are more defined. :)
Talk to: Abs Yap
For affordable and authentic makeup:
1. JNLINK777 -
Items: Revlon lipsticks that cost half its mall price, Maybelline and Covergirl lipsticks for less than a hundred bucks each. Hoarded some lippies here one time! I shared this site to my kikay boss and her assistant and they've purchased a few times. haha They also have flat rate shipping wherever you are in the Philippines.
Talk to: Meg
http://www.ebay.ph/sch/jnlink777/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686
2. Pupay's Corner -
Items: Generic makeup brushes and best priced makeup palettes.
Talk to: Mabel
http://www.ebay.ph/sch/mnm091201/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=200
3. Hoops and Loops https://www.facebook.com/hoopsandloops
Items: Urban Decay palettes and liners, OCC lip tars, MAC lipsticks
I actually haven't had any transaction with Hoops and Loops but my college friend Cheska of
Weekend Pretty recommended this site. I have a lot of things listed already but I never purchase them because something always comes up and I end up spending my cash for something else. Best part here is that she sells UD 24/7 liners per piece! That's like 350-450 bucks per liner! TEMPTING RIGHT?! (When you pre-order each liner, you'll end up paying at least 850 per piece or you need to buy the whole set.)
For gadgets:
My brother Jom recommends kimstore.multiply.com and dbgadgets.multiply.com
I haven't purchased from either stores but I've been checking out their sites for years (I just don't have enough money to buy that LX5 or iPad 2 hehe). So much good feedback for both stores.
For bags, coinpurses, and kitschy gift items:
therapybags.multiply.com, connectthedots.multiply.com
That's about it! Hope this helps guys!
