Love to shop till you drop? Go online!

WITH the advent of the

Internet, and it being so accessible to most people, it's just a matter of time before one clicks into an e-shopping site. But, you ask why shop online when Brunei is so small, when it's just a matter of minutes that you can reach a "brick and mortar" specialist store?

Well, I defend, why bother to get around when there are not enough choices usually at the retailers where actually many salespeople don't really know their products and features. I can happily multi-task as I surf the net for the latest gadgets while taking a peek at Disney's Channel 615 every now and then. Besides, if I really want to ogle at the new HTC Touch Pro 2 (why is it not in Brunei yet?) and check out its specifications and stuff, where else but the Internet? Although I adore my HTC TyTN II and Sony Ericsson P1i, I can't help being on the lookout for my next gadget online.

Life is about choices and shopping over the Internet is a quick and easy alternative. Local online e-stores include the long established QQeStore and its very new competitor, shopping.com.bn and some others. There are also those that seem to have the potential to "hit and run" with a poor selection of products, poorly built website or perhaps selling those terrible fake bags and stuff.

So how does a newbie differentiate and enjoy safe shopping online? First, you can either surf for fun, then decide what you are looking for, and zero it down.

Pros

Online shopping is available 24/7. You can shop whenever you want, day or night, from the comfort of home or office. No need to brave the heat or rain. No need to get dressed up. You can view various stores at any one time. Check out the amazing range of mobile phones and features in both QQeStore and shopping.com.bn and you will know what I mean!

Love discounts? Online shopping sites always have promotions, offers and best buys! If you are buying an air ticket from Royal Brunei Airlines, it's convenient to do it via the Internet. No need to find parking or wait in a queue!

Cons

However, things are not perfect. Online, you can only see what fits on one page at a time. At a shop, you can see many phone models at a glance and even test them out. If you are browsing online, if Internet connection is bad, you might be staring at an empty screen. You can only pay by credit card and not cash and it's a fact that credit card debts are high amongst the younger generation.

Shop with reputable e-stores. If the e-store decides to close down, your order may never reach you or the warranty may become void. Returns are difficult to execute unless there is a local office. You may get charged for shipping and handling costs if the product is delivered to you.

Online shopping also lacks the personal touch. Sometimes you may want to talk to a real person. If you are a compulsive shopper, you need to stop yourself from bursting your credit card while happily clicking.

Despite the pros and cons, I find shopping online fun, especially for mobile phones and gadgets, yes! For others, like fashion and shoes, bring me to a real shop anytime!

Some of the e-stores that I like:

www.qqestore.com

Said to be Brunei's largest online e-commerce retailer, it has the most amazing range of mobile phones, computer products, MP3 players, game consoles, home entertainment systems and products, gadgets, toys and more all in one location.

You need to be a member and gain points, rebates or free gifts with your purchases which may be priced even lower than at all the usual conventional stores. qqestore.com deals direct with suppliers in order to give the best prices and savings, direct to customers.

Over the course of one year, I've ordered online from this website and it works perfectly. You are updated via SMS when your order goes through, when stocks are being checked, and when stocks arrive, and you are even reminded if you forget to collect your order! Since they don't really keep stock and order directly from the manufacturer or distributors, the prices are kept quite low as there are minimal overhead costs. The website is easy to navigate and payment methods are hassle-free. Trade-in and buy-back options are also available here.

www.shopping.com.bn

Set up by GreenCity Concept Sdn Bhd which has a presence in Brunei, Malaysia and Thailand, this is the company that brought to Brunei the popular WondeRing, also the ringback music tone service. The website guarantees that all listed products are 100 per cent genuine. Relatively new, it seems to sport a wider range of products other than mobile phones, cameras, notebooks and information technology products. Other categories include various branded watches, handbags, skincare, jewellery, wedding rings and various personal care products, from blood pressure monitors to hair dryers to epilators! This also requires you to be a member with membership reward points, promotions, discounts and gift vouchers.

www.flora2000.com

Want to send flowers to someone that you fancy or perhaps a loved one? If you are overseas, you can log on to this website and click to be directed to their Brunei link and choose the floral creations that you want to dedicate to that someone special. Apparently this website has been providing delivery services to Brunei since 1999 and offers 100 per cent satisfaction guarantee or full refund.

www.Acmamall.com

This is one site that I will start shopping on very soon. Acmamall.com, which is popular in Malaysia and Singapore, specialises in books and beauty products. Strange combination but the selections of books are great, and seem to be cheaper than Amazon.com. The Brunei shopping portal is a joint venture between locally-owned by S Ewa Enterprises and Acmamall.com.

Since 2000, the website has fulfilled over 80,000 orders to 40,000 customers in Malaysia and Singapore. The site also claims that its prices are relatively very much more cheaper than Amazon.com by up to 52 per cent (there's even a comparison chart online with a list of books sold by them and Amazon). It also provides free shipping.

A note of advice

Although online shopping sounds fun, one has to be careful not to freely or overcharge your credit cards, lest you fall into a debt bubble, if not careful. If shopping at international websites, you have to be careful of credit card fraud and do check the authenticity of the website.

The Brunei Times