Opportunities Abound For The Cash Rich

I was talking to a friend about the leaner times now and my friend said to brace myself for worse times later this year. According to him, more people will be losing their jobs, these people whom were already given the pink slip earlier. When I told him that I do not see much of an effect on prices of properties and cars, he told me to just wait. There seem to be no change because people still have jobs. That makes sense.

Anyway, I think that while times may seem bad, for those who have spare cash, this is an awesome opportunity for them to catch up in terms of wealth with those cream of the crop. As their wealth plummet and they are forced to let go of some gems, those who have cash in the bank could pick up some pretty neat assets at low prices.

Prince Alwaleed of Saudi Arabia is putting his Raffles Hotel in Singapore on the market for a "mere" US$450 million after seeing his fortune shrinking from US$21 billion last year to US$13 billion now. The other luxurious hotel that he is letting go is The Savoy of London.

Well, unfortunately, even as these may seem like pretty good deals, they are still way out of rich for me. Sigh, BIG SIGH!

Source: The Independent UK

Preen Power Bandage Dress

Even though I don't have much of a chance to dress up previously, I now have more opportunities to go out and meet more people. I am consciously looking at dresses when I shop, when previously, I only would go for comfy pants and tops that I would lounge in at home from morning till night.

You can say that I am now undergoing a drastic wardrobe makeover or perhaps I am just tired of my old style now. In fact, I even have got a new hairstyle. Well, I guess, after all these years, I was looking for that touch of sophistication that comes with a new, sexy image.

I came across this fire-engine red hot Preen dress just now. I really like it though am not sure if I would be able to carry this dress well before clocking some time at the gym! Neither am I certain that I would be able to afford it with a price tag of US$1295!

What I am definitely certain is that this pretty number is a head turner. You can bet men, and even women, will be taking a second look! The effect would be even more startling matched with just the right high-end accessories!

TM RM10 Voice Plan

I received a phone call from Telekom Malaysia this morning promoting their new voice plan. I actually saw the promotional poster and read the press release in the papers already but have not checked out the benefits yet.

Anyway, the lady was saying that this low RM10 per month voice plan is only available to Streamyx subscribers. Well, in this country, who isn't?

But I kind of like this voice plan. For RM10 per month, we are able to make calls to all TM fixed lines in Malaysia for free. Calling to mobile numbers in the country irrespective of operator or distance is only 30sen per minute.

I am undecided if I should subscribe to this voice plan as I have not used the fixed phone since I use my mobile phone! Also, I already prepay 250 minutes of voice calls every month for my mobile subscription and I even have trouble finishing it. That means I am paying for a service that I don't fully utilize.

If you are interested, until the end of June, new subscribers will be given a free cordless phone set too.

J. Crew Low Rise Linen Beach Shorts

My friends find it weird that I hardly wear shorts outside the house. Well, it's because I don't have slim, long legs! I know that nobody would care, seeing how people of all shapes and heights are in shorts all the time. However, I would be in shorts at home or at the beach, so it's not like I'm losing out on wearing something comfortable like shorts.

I noticed this pair of J.Crew shorts last evening that looks extremely comfy. You know I love the roll up effect of pants, long or short. With the J. Crew low rise linen beach shorts, if you prefer to be a little modest, you could roll the hem down.

I also love its deep pockets and for someone like me who tries not to carry a bag, the two extra pockets at the back are very helpful. You know how most shorts will only come with two pockets in front and one at the back. Some are worse, with only a mini pocket at the back, for decoration, I think. This has four very purposeful pockets that could actually hold our stuff.

This pair of J. Crew linen beach shorts is selling at US$49.50. What do you think? Would you buy this?

Parcel Scam Gang Busted

I don't know if you have read in the papers recently about a guy who was tricked into paying a few thousand Ringgit to seek the release of a package that was purportedly held by "customs".

The story went that this guy was chatted up online by an African lady in London who told him that she intends to travel to Malaysia to visit him. Prior to her visit, she sent him a parcel that contained luxurious gifts.

Soon after, someone contacted him and told him that the parcel has arrived but he would need to pay for the courier fees, which he promptly did.

This "victim" felt something amiss when the "courier company" contacted him again for even more money supposedly to pay custom taxes and what not.

Apparently, this isn't a one-off case. A news report in New Straits Times yesterday reported that this large syndicate has been busted by the police and the number of victims is at least 150 Malaysians with a total loss of an estimated RM3.7 million over the past two years. Perhaps there are more who have yet to come forward.

It shows that we can’t simply trust people, even if we have chatted with them for a long time online, especially online.

No Reply From Online Merchant

A couple of days ago, I wrote in to an online merchant as I would like to make a purchase but am uncertain of the size that I should buy. Shoes are not easy to shop online, you see, so I wanted to be absolutely certain that I am getting the correct size. After all, I am an international customer and I would like to avoid making a return as far as possible to avoid paying additional shipping and handling costs.

It is almost three days now since I first shot them a message through their contact form on their website and I received an acknowledgement upon submitting my enquiry.

Unfortunately, until know, I have yet to receive a reply from them regarding my impending order and needless to say, without their clarification, I am unable to proceed with my purchase of that particular product.

Sometimes, I wonder if these people are really serious about doing business. This is just one of the handfuls of online merchants who fail to respond to customer enquiries in a timely manner. I wouldn't expect a quick reply if I had wrote in over the weekend, but it's a working week and still, I am left waiting and waiting.

Since this is a rather urgent purchase, I may have to buy it "blindly" and pray that I have bought the correct size. If not, I wouldn't want to take the trouble to return the item to them but may just sell it on eBay!

Green Shopping

In a previous post last month, I wrote about eBay's Green shopping initiative. Actually, their program is not making any difference to me in my eBay shopping sprees but I am trying to reduce the use of plastic bags when I shop at local stores.

As far as I know, there is only one supermarket in my city that has a green shopping program but it's only for one day per month. It's not an aggressive program but then educating the public takes time. The funny thing is that on normal days, they ARE already using biodegradable plastic bags so the effect of using their bags and our own shopping bags is slight.

Usually, I'd take along my own shopping bag but sometimes when I only buy an odd item or two, I wouldn't even use any bag. I’m basically not a bag person. LOL

eBay’s 15¢ Seller Special

eBay is running a one-day Seller special on 21st April, 2009 on eBay.com, eBay Motors (Parts and Accessories only) and eBay.ca for Sellers who have maintained a DSR rating of at least 4.5 in the past 12 months and for new Sellers who have yet to be rated.

For qualified sellers listing in qualified categories in participating eBay sites, the listing fee is only 15¢ regardless of the starting bid. Bear in mind though that Final Value Fees (FVF) and other fees are applicable.

If you have been waiting for a promotion to list your products on eBay USA, eBay Canada and eBay Motors, this is a good opportunity. However, do check if the category that you are listing in qualifies you for this promotion.

Danielle Nicole Italian Patent Leather Clutch

I have been thinking of a gift for my mother's birthday this April. My mother is a very simply lady so I don't plan to get her something too elaborate or she would not use it. Then what is the point of a gift, right?

Since I have been looking through handbags, I thought I would get her a handbag as well to save time on searching but then she has stopped using handbags upon her retirement.

My sister suggested getting her a clutch bag and I have to agree that it is more practical. My mother would be able to use it all the time too, whether she is going to the wet market, shopping mall or social gathering in the evenings.

I was told of this perfect Danielle Nicole handbag, a clutch bag more appropriately termed, that would be awesome. Like I said, it's not too flashy and wouldn't attract too much attention. Yet, it's classy enough for fashionistas who know their stuff!

The shape may be a little odd for some people but I think it just needs some getting used to! I like it that there's an interior pocket for odds and ends and the fact that it's not too expensive retailing at US$225. After all, it's quality Italian patent leather!

Whatcha Sellin' Ellen?

Ellen DeGeneres is cleaning out her wardrobe for a good cause, following the footsteps of Gwyneth Paltrow. In Gwyneth Paltrow's case, she is supporting The Robin Hood Foundation. However, in the case of Ellen DeGeneres, she is supporting The Humane Society of the United States, the largest animal protection organization in the United States. This is a good cause close to my heart as well.

Ellen DeGeneres has set up a store on eBay, and named this auction blitz "Whatcha Sellin' Ellen?" which runs from 14th April to 8th May, 2009. According to information, a total of 25 items will be auctioned off every week, with prices starting from US$1.

There will be lots of clothes, some worn only once by Ellen herself, and some by guests of her talk show. Some would be donated items by her celebrity friends.

To follow her auctions, click this link HERE.

Kava Stress Relief Tea

I have been so stressed out lately, what with working on my own business, which is not doing too well no thanks to the poor economy and taking care of my elderly dog. Gosh, the pressure of juggling so many things on the home front and trying to make ends meet.

A friend recommended kava stress relief tea to me and says that it will help me fell better. Frankly, I am not someone who depends on external help like medicine and supplements unless it is really necessary.

However, I may just try kava kava after what my friend told me from her experience. It wouldn’t do any harm to try. After all it is organic and luckily, affordable!

25% Off A Single Item (Victoria's Secret)

I received two alerts from Victoria's Secret regarding their on-going promotion where we are able to enjoy 25% off a single item from their online store. Although there is no further information, it looks to me like this offer is valid storewide on any merchandise.

I think it is an awesome deal which reminds me not to shop at Victoria's Secret or any other online retailers unless there are promotions, or at least coupon codes to use!

Oh yes, before I forget, to enjoy this offer of 25% off a single item, the coupon code to use is 25SAV. This offer ends on Sunday, 19th April, 2009, so be quick!

Pajama Party

My friend proposes to throw a pajama party sometime next month and wondered if we will be interested. She says her parents will be away on tour and she has just bought quite a few bean bag chairs and beds and that would be awesome to play around with.

I am all for it and coincidentally, just bought myself It's Happy Bunny sleep shirts so that's definitely a good time to show off!

Of course, I have been roped in to help invite as many mutual friends as possible and set a date where most of us could make it. That's the difficult part as all of us have our different commitments but then this is going to be fun and it really has been such a long time since we organized something like this!

Free Postage & Packaging In More Selected Categories (eBay UK)

In addition to the good news to sellers on eBay UK that I mentioned in my previous post as announced by eBay UK a couple of days ago, the good news for Buyers (bad news for Sellers) is that there will be mandatory free Postage and Packaging (P&P) in even more categories. Previously, this was only imposed on Sellers trading in media.

The extended categories and sub-categories are the following though this is not applicable to ALL the sub-categories so do read the terms carefully.

Clothes, Shoes & Accessories
Video Games
Mobile & Home Phones
Consumer Electronics
Computing
Photography

eBay UK says that they will be offering a discount on Final Value Fee (FVF) for the time being to help Sellers who need to absorb this cost and will from time to time offer incentives and other promotions. The key words here are "for the time being" and "from time to time".

Bear in mind that this mandatory free P&P is only the first domestic P&P option so all is not lost!

Anna Sui Printed Bandeau Dress

I told my sister that I need an image change, a makeover. Now that I need to meet more people, I definitely need to buy more clothes and since I need to buy so many now, I might as well change my entire wardrobe, right? I definitely need more dresses and frankly, I am quite sick of wearing plain colors. I used to like my clothes in plain colors only but realized now that I need to be more striking in my dressing to stand out from the crowd.

Luckily, the kind of job I am doing does not require me to be in office wear or business suits. Of course, I would still need to be smart looking and respectable but I could be in dresses as well! Phew!

I spotted this Anna Sui dress while looking for fashion inspiration on the web. I like the colors here but I am not so sure about the animal print! I think this is way too bold for me.

This dress retails at £348.26. Well, what did I expect? It is designer fashion and we have to pay the price that matches its quality and name! Thank god animal print isn’t my thing YET or there would be a hole in my purse already. LOL

Free Photos in "Clothing, Shoes & Accessories" eBay UK

If you are a Seller on eBay UK trading in clothes, shoes and accessories, here is good news for you. eBay has decided to provide us with free image hosting for this category. Why? I don't know! The thing is, it's free so let's use it!

Image freebies include the following:

- Free Gallery Plus
- Free Supersize
- Free additional standard pictures
- Free Picture Pack

As you know, sellers of clothes, shoes and accessories have to upload many photos per item to shoe different angles of an item from tags to labels to hem to sleeve and what not. Those who host their images from other servers to avoid paying image hosting fees to eBay know how inconvenient it is.

Besides, by hosting images on eBay, which we could now import over, we get to place our images above fold plus use its zoom feature. I believe this would create a better listing experience for us which have a higher chance to convert into sales. Kaching!

Interior Designing & Decorating

I made an acquaintance with a guy the other day. He is an interior design consultant, which I thought was a very interesting job. He secured a project with one of my neighbors, you see, so I get to see him almost daily when he drops by to check on the progress of his workers.

I had the opportunity to visit the home that he is working on upon his invitation, and I never turn down an opportunity like this. It really is an awesome career seeing how an empty house is decorated to bring out the positive aspects of the house and downplay the poorer features of it that could not be altered.

This guy used Sylvania light bulbs to play with lighting effects which I thought made the house seem larger, even though the house was actually physically smaller than my own house!

Years ago, I considered a career in interior designing and decorating but I later found out that one needs to be good in art, and unfortunately, I couldn't draw to save my life. So my ambition went poof! SIGH!

eBay's New Dispute Process

eBay has confirmed that they will be announcing a new dispute process, which aims at making it easier for buyers to dispute their purchase on eBay. Although further information is not available yet at this time of writing, it looks to me like eBay will, if the buyer is found to be in favour of the buyer like most of the cases so far, take it into their own hands to refund buyer from Seller's account, without waiting for the Seller to refund.

This sounds like a highly risky policy for Sellers. We are already on the losing end if we are unable to proof that delivery of the item has been made, as you know, some buyers could be rather cheeky and claim that the item never arrived and what not, and now it looks like our finances will even be meddled with!

Frankly, I don't even know what to think of this. Let's just wait for the official announcement where more details will be provided.

Old Navy Roll Up Cargo Pants

I have been meaning to buy more pairs of pants for awhile now. My friend is right, I actually prefer wearing pants than skirts, though I definitely do not only own a pair of pants like my friend accused. However, I do concede that I may wear a couple of pairs more often than the others because they are more comfortable, plus I like pants that have enough pockets.

I don't carry a bag, you see, but I still take along my mobile phone, iPhone, digital camera, purse and car keys. Tell me, how could I wear a skirt? I have a few pairs of cargo pants that come with pockets on the side of the legs which I really like, even though I look weird with my pockets stuffed. LOL

I was informed of this pair of Old Navy pants this morning, which is just the kind of pants that I would be comfortable in. The pockets may not be enough but I love the fact that I could wear it short or long by just rolling up the legs or letting them down. I don't think people would recognize that it's the same pair of pants!

The best news is that it's only selling at US$29.50; affordable to most of us, isn't it?

Ringgit May Test 3.56 Level This Week

I read on Business Times yesterday that due to a new Cabinet line up, investors may now have a renewed confidence in the Malaysian economy that they will be taking up new positions on Ringgit, strengthening the currency.

According to analysts, the Ringgit may test 3.56 level next week. It closed at 3.6135/6185 on Friday.

Now, this is certainly not the news that I want to read about concerning the Ringgit. For me, the weaker the Ringgit, the better. Of course, while I do spend Dollar when shopping overseas, I really have to take into account if I am spending or earning more to benefit from the stronger Dollar, or stronger Ringgit. And at this point, I really would like to see a weaker Ringgit. And I know that many of my friends feel the same too!

And oh, by the way, I see no fresh faces in the new Cabinet. So, what renewed confidence? Maybe there is something wrong with my eyes.

Vera Wang Organza Slip Dress

A male friend told me the other day that he has never seen me in a dress before and he wondered why. He's a professional photographer, you see, and he mixes with friends, male and female, who are always dressed up to the nines.

This friend told me that each time he sees me, I would be wearing pants, and the same pair of pants too! This is not true! Of course I don't only own ONE pair of pants!

My friend told me that the next time he sees me, I have to be in a dress. LOL I said that there's no way I am going to buy a dress just for the occasion and if he wants to see me in a dress, he should buy me one.

Now, I have pretty expensive taste and I am not going to wear any dress. I would want something as sexy as this organza Vera Wang dress. I believe I would have no problem carrying this well. One doesn’t really need a svelte body to wear a dress like that.

This shimmering Vera Wang organza slip dress retails at US$1850, a price I am sure he is unwilling to fork out, which means I don’t have to wear a dress just for him. LOL

Gwyneth Paltrow Spring Cleans Her Wardrobe

Gwyneth Paltrow has decided to spring clean her wardrobe and off load her clothes, shoes and accessories on eBay. Proceeds of sale will go towards the Robin Hood Foundation, a non-profit organization targeting poverty in New York City.

If you are a fan of Gwyneth Paltrow, this is something that you should keep an eye on. Even if you are not, I am sure you will be able to pick up some designer stuff that coincidentally, were worn by Gwyneth Paltrow herself, even if for only once or twice.

I have browsed through her items and frankly, those things are way out of my budget, though there's no denying that that all the items listed are branded, quality stuff, some are even brand new with tag (BNWT).

If you are interested to see what Gwyneth Paltrow is trying to offload, click this link.

Adults Only Coupon Codes

If you are a regular reader, you would know that I am a chronic online shopper. It's funny that I shop more online than offline. My friends would think that I'm weird when I say that I can buy similar items online at a lower price but they do not know the secret!

When I first started shopping online, the first time, I paid full price for my purchases but I have learned my lesson. All subsequent purchases were made with coupon codes or I would not buy. LOL Am I cheap or what?

Yesterday, a friend told me that she has received her package that she bought online. She was very happy as it was her first online purchase. I asked her what it was and she shyly said that it's something she bought from an adult online store.

She should have told me earlier. We could have checked with AdultsOnlyCoupons.com to see if there are any applicable coupon codes that she could use on her purchase. Savings may not be much but at least, a little savings is better than none, right?

My friend now knows that we do not have to pay full listed price if we have the correct coupon code. We may even get to save on shipping which could be quite expensive!

Stars Come Out For Adrienne Shelly

In a previous post, I wrote about the exclusive celebrity lunch date auctions that are listed on eBay in support of the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, the hottest, to me, being a date with Mad Men star Jon Hamm *swoon*.

Well, guess what? Besides Jon Hamm and the other celebrities that I mentioned in my earlier post, Paul Rudd, Nathan Fillion, David Schwimmer and Julianna Margulies, there are also other auction listings that are also in support of the Adrienne Shelly Foundation.

What you would also get to bid on are autographed posters, photos, books, DVDs, VIP tickets and backstage passes to shows, memorabilia and best of all, non-speaking walk-on roles (extra) in an as yet untitled movie.

To view the full list of auctions that are supporting the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, a non-profit foundation supporting women filmmakers, visit this eBay page.

Gold Coin Collection

Although I am a collector and collect many different things, one thing that I did not collect was coins and dollar notes. I guess one in the family is enough!

My mother has a small collection of rare gold coins. If you ask her how much time and money she has spent on building her collection, she wouldn't be able to tell. Besides, it is a hobby and time spent looking for bargain is fun. However, I have to say that she is quite prudent and her collection is cost-effective.

Actually, my mother has a couple of friends who share her interest and they too collect coins and notes but because of the long drawn recession, both of them had to sell off their collection. Isn’t that unfortunate?

Spoilt For Choice

People who have never shopped online before will never understand the thrill that we face. You know, recently, I was trying to find canine shoes for my senior dog. I couldn't find it here in Ipoh and asking my friends in the capital city to look for a set for me was too much trouble. Yes, they say they will look out for it but they don't give it top priority and I perhaps have to wait maybe years before anyone gets back to me.

I decided to shop online again and was surprised by the wide selection of canine shoes that are available from various online merchants that specialize in pet supplies. Isn't it wonderful that what I could not find locally, I could buy right from home?

I am so spoilt for choice that right now, I still couldn't decide which to buy yet. There are too many and the price difference is slight. Since I will already have to pay international shipping, I thought that it would be more economical to pick up a few other things for my dog too.

Engaging The Services Of A Collection Agency

I recently read an announcement by a major local company that they will not engage the services of a collection agency to chase for payment from bill defaulters. I think that the economy has become so weak that many people are unable to pay their bills anymore but this company sympathizes with the customers and decided not to chase for payment yet.

Unfortunately, not all companies are as lenient. It's not that they are not generous or that they do not sympathize with their customers or understand their predicament, sometimes, that little bit of bad debt would mean a profit or loss for the company.

I think that if it's really necessary, a professional Collection Agency should be brought in. At least, this would help ease the burden of staff that may have to collect debt when it is not even their job. With this task taken off their hands, at least they could be more productive doing what they are trained to do.

American Profit Recovery is a collection agent with experience in various industries, helping clients to turn a profit from bad debts. What makes them different and refreshing is that they one charge a flat fee for their job. This translates to even greater profit for the clients!

Win a Date With Jon Hamm, Paul Rudd, Nathan Fillion, David Schwimmer, Julianna Margulies

If you are a fan of Jon Hamm, Paul Rudd, Nathan Fillion, David Schwimmer and Julianna Margulies, you may want to take note of this. These celebrities are auctioning off a date with themselves on eBay.

They have promised to go on a "date" but I think if the winner is of the same gender, they wouldn't mind too much, would they? Proceeds from these auctions will go towards the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, which supports female film makers, offering scholarships and grants.

Just to refresh your memory, Adrienne Shelly was an actress-filmmaker who was killed in a robbery in November 2006.

Stock Investment Terminology

I was chatting with a friend on stock trading and trying to get some tips from him on how to invest in stocks now. I know that there are some pretty good stocks at a bargain price now thanks to the weak market but I do not feel ready to invest in any unless I have a friend to guide me.

This friend, though, doesn't want to teach me and told me that I should make use of plenty of free tools available on the internet to test the waters and see how well I know the market by doing mock trading.

He did, however, advised me to read up as much as I could and familiarize myself with the various stock investment terms from covered calls and option screener plus understand their definitions too.

I am afraid I have too much to learn and may not have enough time to catch the ride up!

Fraud in Forum Based Trading

Recently, a Chinese daily highlighted a case where a victim lost some money in a fraud case in a forum transaction. I don't read Chinese so I am not able to get the gist of the story.

However, I would just like to point out that trading anywhere online, whether in a forum, marketplace, eCommerce store or via instant messengers and social network portals carries risk.

When I first started to shop online, a friend advised that if something is too good to be true, it probably IS too good. So walk away. Would you rather not be able to buy something cheap or to lose money? If the risk is too big, you are better off shopping locally.

Of course, if something is not available locally, and you have no choice but to shop online, then do some homework and make sure that the seller or store is reputable. Running a background check on the seller or store would provide you with peace of mind.

Moving & Storing

My friend, Stephanie, told me that she has a problem. Her husband has just been transferred to another branch office in another state and he has no say about it. Well, I guess when so many people are out of job, they should be thankful that he is just being transferred in an employee reshuffling exercise.

Stephanie had thought that they would be staying put for good and have spent time and money decorating her home but now that she has to move, she does not think it's viable to keep the home, or even to cart the lot of frills to her new home.

I told her that since she plans to engage the services of a Boston Moving Company to help her with the moving, she might as well find one company that also offers storage facilities. I think that this would help solve Stephanie's problem, and she will have peace of mind knowing that her belongings are well looked after.

I actually got this idea from another friend who also stored her items when she had to leave for another country for a couple of years. Of course, eventually she did call for some of her stuff but still, the bulk of it was kept in a storage facility.

Jade Goody Funeral Wristband On eBay

The white wristband that was issued for security purposes for the private funeral of Jade Goody has been eBay-ed by a close family friend, making the mother and husband of Jade Goody furious.

Well, eBay has become such a culture in many parts of the world so much so that when an eBay seller gets her hands on anything, the first thing that crosses her mind is how much she could sell it on eBay. Yes, this is the truth and I KNOW.

At this point of writing, I have no idea if the wristband auction is still on-going or if the family of Jade Goody would be able to request removal of it. In any case, I see no value whatsoever in the wristband, which is just a piece of white paper, printed in black with "Jade Goody 1981-2009". Perhaps it is because I am no fan of Jade Goody.

I wonder if anyone could fashion a similar wristband....

Adults Only All Inclusive Vacations

My sister tells me that although she has been married for more than three months already, she still couldn't take time off from work to go on her honeymoon. I think her employer is a slave driver!

Anyway, my sister has already applied for leave from work though the most she could take is only three days in a row. My sister says it's too short and she doesn't even have time to make plans so much so that she is afraid that the honeymoon vacation will not turn out as planned.

I suggested that she opts for one of those Adults Only All Inclusive Vacations. She need not even do anything except pay for the vacation, pack her bags and hop onto the plane and be taken to "paradise" as one guest wrote in his testimonial.

Phony eBay Website

I read a news article recently that a guy had fallen victim to a scam when he bought a car from a website that looks exactly like eBay. Apparently, this guy does not know that he has landed on a deceptive fake eBay site and actually made a purchase.

I also read that he is not the only person to fall victim to such a fraud, though I am uncertain if these victims have used the same fake eBay site or different.

This is pretty scary but I think that this guy is lucky in the sense that he only lost the amount that he sent out and that his online banking particulars have not been compromised.

One way to prevent something like this from happening is to use browsers that have safe filter that would alert us if we accidentally accessed a malicious website. Firefox and the new Internet Explorer 8 have such filters.

Colorful Spring 2009 Kate Spade Bag

People who know me know that I do not carry a bag when I go out. Well, now that I am on the move more often, I am starting to carry bags and have already built a small collection of it too.

My mother worries that I will fall victim to snatch thieves which is very rampant where I live but then I see everyone, men and women, carrying bags, the chances of my bag being snatched are the same as the others. I think that if we carry a large bag, snatch thieves would not dare to touch us. Aren't they afraid of being whacked with the bag? LOL

Anyway, my sister told me to take note of bags by Kate Spade, which are colorful and fun. I spotted this tri-colored woven Kate Spade tote which looks like just the bag to use on a sunny day out. It sure will attract attention and would make a great conversation piece too. Sometimes, we need something like this to break the ice, you know.

Right now, this bag retails at US$345. A bit steep, me thinks, but then when you buy a bag like this, you know that the chances of bumping into another person carrying this same bag are pretty slim!

eBay AU Increases Fees For Vehicle Sales

Just when car owners are finding it difficult to cope with meeting their car loan instalments and finding ways to off load the car, many of these going through eBay, eBay Australia has increased fees for vehicle sales.

For the listing of cars and motorbikes, eBay AU has doubled the flat rate listing fee and charging a flat final value fee as currently. Generally, it is now way more expensive to sell off cars, motorbikes and other motor vehicles like boats on eBay because of this revised rate plan.

I think that if eBay capitalizes on the economic downturn and allow people to try to sell off their cars without paying exorbitant fees, eBay would be able to revive their market and traffic.

Studying For Online University Degree

As a home-based business proprietor, I find that I have problems separating work time and personal time. In fact, it seems like I work the whole day, even when I am not.

I do hope to be able to go back to school but right now, I could hardly make time for it. My best bet is to study for an online university degree, something which I could do at my own pace and convenience at the comfort of home.

One thing I like about studying online, though I am uncertain if I have the discipline to not go browsing some other websites while studying, is the time I save not having to commute from home to school and vice versa.

Although I am unable to make time for studies right now, I believe that when I eventually could spare some time to hit the books, I would still choose to study online!

*** This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com

Maybank2U Phishing Attempts

A couple of my friends have reported received fraudulent email purportedly from Maybank2u, which directed them to log into their Maybank2u account to reverify their account. "Maybank2u" claimed that they have recently suffered a Denial of Service (DOS) attack, hence this exercise.

I know that quite a few people have already got caught, even when the email looked suspicious and in fact, many of such emails were sent from countries outside of Malaysia. Still, these victims were not alerted to this.

Anyway, the funny thing was that these two friends were not caught. They knew this was a phishing attempt from the onset because they don't even hold any account with Maybank, yes, even when Maybank is the largest bank in Malaysia, there are still people who are not Maybank customers!

Addicted To Nintendo

My sister recently bought a Nintendo game console from a colleague. It was not exactly a good deal but she says that it was hardly used so it was like brand new. Besides, the colleague has included some games for her for free and it came with a protective casing as well.

Now that my sister tells me that she loves playing with it, I am thinking of getting the Nintendo DSi too. I love the one in black and it matches all my other devices. My mobile device, camera and iPhone are all black in colour too.

A brand new Nintendo DSi retails at US$169.99, not exactly cheap, but not too expensive either. My sister says almost all her friends have one, so I guess it is pretty affordable to the common folks too.

What I like of the Nintendo DSi is that besides being a game console, it comes with a camera as well, though I have no idea its quality. It would be good for the days when I am too lazy to bring along my camera and the battery of my mobile device is almost flat.

Right now, I still have no idea if I should get it, mainly because I don’t have time to play games!

Depositing Into Another Person's Bank Account

I read about a case where a buyer was told to deposit payment to a bank account that does not match the name of the seller. This buyer does not know what to do, or if she should even proceed with the transaction.

This is one problem many people face when shopping at Lelong, unlike shopping on eBay US where they are striving to implement a PayPal only payment method.

In any case, when it comes to online shopping, never be too trusting. Make sure that you are paying the seller and no one else so that there is accountability should anything goes wrong.

If you do come across such a case where you are told to make payment to a bank account where the name of the account holder does not match the name of the seller, report it to the administrators. You are not supposed to go through with the transaction until and unless further clarification has been conducted.

Achieving Maximum Compensation

Working for myself where I am both the employer and employee, I have a lot less things to worry about. Well, I came across the website of a Personal Injury Attorney in Omaha and reading through the site, am reminded of the problems my friend faced when there was an accident at his work place.

My friend is in the heavy metal industry and it has a dangerous working environment. I am sure you know how it is if someone didn't get a good night's rest and had to operate heavy machinery!

When one is involved in an accident, especially at work, he is surely insured but even so, one would need a good lawyer to keep a close watch on the case to try to claim maximum compensation. It is understandable since the victim would not be able to work which spells loss of income, and recovery would require money as well!

Kad Mesra Petronas Loyalty Programme

I received a notice via email and followed up by letter from Petronas Kad Mesra loyalty programme that they are going separate ways from Real Rewards. It pisses me off that I am inconvenienced TWO times just for those measly points!

A while back, when I was a member of Real Rewards, I was told that I have to join Kad Mesra instead because they have merged their loyalty programmes and Real Rewards, the company, seemed to have taken a back seat in the partnership.

Now, they are divorcing and once again, we will have to fill up a new form. You know, as we apply for a new Kad Mesra, we will only get to transfer our Kad Mesra points to the new card and not our Real Reward points.

Alternatively, we could redeem our points fully because if we were to initiate a partial redemption, the balance of points will no longer be valid. How shitty is that? What an excellent way to avoid “paying” their members! They can have their points!

Porte Monnaie Leather Wallet

A friend, let's just refer to him as A, just reminded me yet again that his birthday is at the end of the year and that he expects a birthday gift from me. I really do not understand why he has to bring this up every opportunity he has. I know that we used to do this when we were kids; demanding that our friends remember our big day and collect our birthday gifts from them but this friend, he's close to 40 already and still doing this! I actually hate it because I think that gift buying should be voluntary.

Besides, I don't like buying him anything because of the pressure. You see, he's so rich that he could get whatever he wants but he says it's not the value of the gift but the thought. Each year, I have to try so hard to come up with something unique that he has yet to come across or something that he would not think of getting for himself, and I have to outdo myself year after year. It's very tiring, you know!

Just now, I chanced upon this Porte Monnaie wallet and I think I will just end my search and get this for his birthday this December. It's a rather special handmade leather wallet made in London from natural material, simple and without frills, just right for my friend. Price is, luckily, just US$100. Not too expensive, and not too cheap either, as a birthday gift!

Promotional T-Shirt Freebie

I went to buy a mono laser printer at the just concluded PC Fair. The vendor that I went to could not match the price of another vendor at the fair, so I said that he should make up the difference in freebies.

So this vendor said that he would give me a trolley. I said I don't want that because I do not see a need for a trolley. He said that I could do my shopping at the morning market with the trolley but I already have one at home.

He then said that he would give me a calculator. I already have a calculator and am using the same product right now, why would I need a second unit?

He subsequently told me that he would give me a free t-shirt and I was aghast. Why would I pay to buy something and get a t-shiort to wear and continue to promote this brand name? If the company wants me to promote the brand name and product by wearing the free t-shirt wherever I go, wouldn't it be more logical to give the mono laser printer to me free, as compensation? Doesn't this make more sense??

Lamé Denim American Apparel Make Up Bag

Those of you who know me personally know that I have been bare faced all along. You know, it's kind of embarrassing that I don't even know how to apply make up at my age but then I have run my home based business as soon as I left school and so far, couldn't bring myself to wear make up at home. LOL

Things will change soon as I will have to go out and meet more people in the coming months as I try to build another aspect of the business. I am so shy to tell you that now only am I using cosmetics and wearing power suits. You know, because I did not own anything related to cosmetics, I had to buy everything. A friend told me to buy travel size make up kits until I have discovered the brand that is most suitable for me.

Meanwhile, I would also need a small make up pouch to carry my make up when I travel. That's something new to me. I spotted this shiny American Apparel pouch and am quite taken to it. You know, the good news is that it's only selling at US$14! It's not expensive, importantly, it looks classy! I think this is just the bag I need!

Amazon Stops Paying Affiliates For Paid Search Traffic

If you are an Amazon affiliate, you may want to pay attention to this. Beginning 1st May, 2009, Amazon, like eBay two years ago, will no longer pay affiliates for sale concluded from paid search traffic. This means that you can stop buying paid search listings from sites like Google, Yahoo and MSN since Amazon will no longer pay you.

Well, I don't know what eBay and Amazon think. Don't people who came from paid search buy things too? In fact, I think there is a better chance of making a sale from such group of internet users.

In any case, I know that it will affect the income of a lot of Amazon affiliates just like what happened to eBay affiliates two years ago. Luckily, this will not affect too many Malaysians because as far as I know, there are not that many affiliates here because these two programmes are not open to us, unless we have a US address.

Besides affecting affiliates, this move will also probably affect merchants who are participating in Amazon affiliate programme. I think their sales will drop too because there will no longer be people advertising for them via paid search engines!

Fun Pink Dots Canvas Shoes

I have a friend who has this condition which causes her to perspire continuously from her palms and feet. I don't know why, and I suspect neither does she but it could be highly embarrassing and uncomfortable.

This friend told me that much as she likes to wear nice shoes, the only shoes that she is comfortable wearing are Crocs but seriously, could anyone wear Crocs all the time and not feel bored? I have a pair of Crocs and that is more than enough for me already!

I saw this pair of fun polka dot canvas Toms shoes just now which I think she should consider buying. I would have bought for her but Chinese do not buy shoes as gifts!

This pair of canvas shoes by TOMS looks casually comfortable and would match her cheery personality. Besides, at US$44 only, it's reasonably priced and affordable although this may not be for everybody because some lady friends I know refuse to wear anything that does not have heels!

If my friend were to buy this, she could stop complaining that she couldn't possibly match some of her clothes with appropriate shoes! I think I would love to own a pair too. It really has been a long time since I wore shoes as colorful as that!

Online Fraud Rising In Recession

PayPal openly admitted during Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco earlier this week that online fraud is rising no thanks to the on-going recession. As you may have read my earlier post, online fraud offers easy money.

And also because of the economic downturn which caused some financial institutions to close, fraudsters have taken advantage of this confusion and try to fish for personal financial particulars from these confused customers.

I really could sympathize with genuine online shoppers from high risk countries as Malaysia, I was told, is also a high risk country due to a credit card scam years ago. Imagine how difficult it is to make online sellers take you seriously when they doubt your credibility and refuse to make delivery to your country!

Chloé Scalloped Triangle Bikini

I have promised myself to go on a diet for the longest time but I haven't gotten around to it. Just the thought of it makes me lazy. It's not as if I eat a lot, just that I need more exercise to counter the flab that is bound to develop due to my lifestyle and as I advance in age. This is something nobody could escape, I guess.

I have tried many methods to motivate myself to be hard working at the gym but so far, nothing works; not even when I have a companion to workout with me and sort of push me.

Just now, I was shown this sexy scalloped triangle Chloe bikini that I would like to have but will definitely not buy and wear it as long as I look the way I am right now. Hehehe! This will be a great motivating factor if I want to ever look good in it, all the more because I don't know how to swim! Otherwise, how could I attract attention, right?

This Chloé scalloped triangle bikini looks like it’s a must have on a beach vacation. It is easy to pack and would look good with anything because black matches everything.

Confessions of Shoplifters

What are the Eatons? Overly smart? Could you believe that they have the nerve to go on national TV confessing that they make a living out of selling toys and other merchandise on eBay that they have stolen from retail stores? They even have a video of them and the children out "shopping".

Apparently, they have already made US$100,000 easy money from their activities; US$3500 per week. Who would want to work anymore when they could just steal and sell?

Matthew and Laura Eaton are now being investigated by federal agents and rightly so since they have already admitted to the crime and on TV too! Let’s hope that they will get their just deserts.

Choosing Products To Sell

Many of my friends tell me that they would like to start a home-based business. Frankly, most of them just talk without action. Most of them do not know where to begin, despite in-depth discussion and research. And some have a great working life that they do not have the need for extra pocket money earned online.

Those who have talked to me about this know that I always suggest people to find out what they are passionate about first and then set up a business based on that. It doesn't matter what the product or service is.

We could be selling a diet pill that is new in the market or offer design services, as long as we are passionate about it, we would be able to see it through and not give up, even during slow times.

Making Use of Search Engines

I read about the case of a con victim who lost a few hundred bucks buying an Apple iPhone on eBay Malaysia. As I understand it, this scammer has been online for quite a while and the bank account that he has been using, not necessarily his own bank account, has already been blacklisted on various websites. Since eBay does not allow such a blacklist to be published on the site, this victim did not know about it.

Before making a purchase, we should always make a search on the web either of the trading ID, name or webstore for possible negative remarks and in this case, this guy has appears on various blacklists.

Such a search, though may not offer 100% protection, would alert us on possible fraud. I know that some of my buyers would do a search on me and/or my store first before placing an order. This gives them peace of mind, even if the order is not a big sum. When people make a purchase, they do want the item and it is not so much the amount at risk.

Livia Statement Necklace

Although I hardly accessorize myself, I buy a lot of costume jewelry pieces and keep them as gifts for friends, family and especially as freebies for my buyers. Costume jewelry is always well accepted and everyone, male or female, seems to love them. Moreover, costume jewelries are affordable enough for me to give them away as gifts.

Here is an Anthropologie necklace which I just came across which I would like to share on my blog. I think that it's very classy and elaborate and it's only selling at $48! Have I already mentioned affordable?

This Livia statement necklace is made up generously of sequins, beads and gems in complementing color arrangements. Spread out like this, you could actually see its symmetrical design. I bet it sparkles brilliantly in the dark. Even though I don't have the habit of wearing dangling costume jewelry, this is something that I would love to have personally.

If you love accessories, this is something that you should get and even if you are like me and do not see the need to accessorize yourself, this Livia necklace makes an awesome gift for a loved one. Come to think of it, this would be great for Mother's Day too!

Drop In Visitor Count

Many of my friends who are fellow sellers on Lelong.com.my have been complaining that the marketplace is not getting as many site visitors as it used to. Some even wondered if there is something wrong with the visitor count tracker.

Well, Lelong has certainly evolved over the years since its inception and granted, some of the on-going problems like fraud and imitation products that flood the marketplace have caused visitors to avoid shopping here, thus affecting businesses of sellers.

However, I feel that as online traders, we really have to be proactive in looking for sales and either we evolve together with marketplaces like Lelong and eBay or we continue to search for greener pastures to venture into.

Personally, what I do is to just go with the flow and move on if I find that it is no longer viable to spend time and energy on a particular marketplace.

Sam's New Home

My friend, Sam, recently moved into his new house and I was invited to visit him. No, it was not his housewarming party, as I was out of town then, but a couple of my friends and I took the opportunity to check out his house over the weekend. It's a million dollar house, after all.

Sam already has everything in place in his new house though it doesn't yet have the "lived-in" feeling because it's a huge and we only managed to check out the ground floor of the house from the living room to the kitchen.

Once again, Sam surprised me with his immaculate housekeeping skills, though I wondered why he saw the need to equip his kitchen with the latest kitchenware and cutlery since he eats out most weekdays and at his parents' place on weekends.

But then Sam told us that this is his dream kitchen and his sets of Infinite Circulon and Anolon non-stick pans would come in handy when he could find the time to throw us a formal dinner.

I really am looking forward to it. Even though I don’t care so much for food, Sam is an exceptional cook, even though he never received professional training. He puts it down to the days when he tried to survive on a tight budget during his days as a poor foreign student.

Lelong's SuperBuy

Apparently, Lelong's SuperBid, weekly one hour awesomely crazy auctions where prices may not be exceptionally low anymore after being driven high by crazy bidders, Lelong's SuperBid has evolved into Lelong's SuperBuy.

SuperBuy is Lelong's ecommerce store which carries similar items that we have seen on Lelong's SuperBid but at a fixed price. I am not very familiar with the prices of these items but I understand that they are lower than retail stores.

For one, I am not even certain if some of these items are available at local stores. Secondly, we have to factor in shipping and handling charges so unless Lelong could absorb these charges, it would not be such a great deal shopping at Lelong's SuperBuy.

From what I understand, now that Lelong has this SuperBuy online store, they will run a crazy sale here for an hour every week, much like SuperBid. I'll need more information on this.

Proenza Schouler Handbag

Those who know me know that I do not carry any bag, however, now that I have to go out more and meet more people due to the nature of my work, and I have way more devices to carry including two mobile phones and a digital camera, I plan to get a handbag.

To me, a handbag is a fashion accessory and we should carry a handbag that suits our dressing and complement our mood but I definitely am a lazy person and would never be able to find time to keep changing my bags.

What I plan to do is just to get a quality fashion handbag that would be suitable for any occasion and season. I chanced upon this Proenza Schouler handbag just now and its neutral color is definitely just what I am after.

This crocodile satchel looks really stylish though I must admit that not everyone would like it. I myself used to hate anything "crocodile" when I was younger. I don't know why but my tastes have definitely improved. LOL

This Proenza Schouler PS1 large crocodile satchel is selling at US$14500. I wonder if there's one smaller, hence cheaper, bag. I would certainly want it, then!

April Fool Hoaxes

Today being April Fool's Day, I refrained from browsing eBay, Lelong and other auction websites. In fact, I didn't even read as much news as I used to.

If I remember correctly, in the past, on April Fool's Day, there used to be quite a few April Fool hoaxes in online auction places and even in the newspapers. Refraining myself from being overly exposed to the internet, I was able to avoid being fooled.

April Fool is still not over yet for the other half of the world, so I shall continue to avoid the web for another half a day. I know I may sound silly, but as the saying goes, "once bitten, twice shy." LOL

Alessandro Dell'Acqua Sandals

Although I am not a shoe person and definitely do not own as many pairs of shoes as Imelda Marcos, I believe in owning just a few pair of quality shoes that are just as comfortable to wear as they are stylish. I am all for making a fashion statement with footwear but I am sure we have come across many shoes that may look awesome but the design or cutting just isn't practical. Those are the kind of shoes that I am not after. For that matter, I wouldn't mind paying a little more for quality and comfort.

I just came across this pair of Alessandro Dell'Acqua sandals which looks really stylish. Although it looks casual, I believe that it would be suitable for both formal and informal wear, thanks to the heels.

Strappy sandals seem to be the IN thing right now as I see them everywhere. However, this pair of Alessandro Dell'Acqua Suede strappy sandals is surely a class of its own. I really love this shade of pale pink. It's just the kind of color I love, even if it may not suit my skin color that well.

As far as I know Alessandro Dell'Acqua is not available where I live so I would have to get this online, if I succumb to its beauty. LOL

Funding PayPal

Someone wrote in to me through my blog asking if it is possible to fund our PayPal account. As far as I know, it is only possible if we have a bank account linked to our PayPal. For most of us here in Malaysia, that is not possible then, unless we have a US bank account.

What my friends do is to buy PayPal funds from those who have funds in PayPal and transfer the same amount into the local bank account in local currency to the "seller".

Of course, one is not supposed to SELL PayPal funds and for private transactions, one should only do it with trusted friends because there is absolutely no recourse.

As for me, whenever I plan to make a purchase online, I try to keep some funds in my PayPal account in case the seller or merchant do not accept payment by credit card via PayPal. This is one way to avoid paying the hefty service charge imposed by PayPal.

Rocco-Studded Manolo Blahnik Sandals

If you are a fan of Sex and the City I am sure you would have noticed the many striking Manolo Blahnik footwear. It is said that Manolo Blahnik is the five star of the show and I cannot agree more. One of the reasons I love watching Sex and the City is Manolo Blahnik!

If you also love Manolo Blahnik, you should check out this Manolo Blahnik sandal. I think that it would be suitable for ladies who love making fashion statements on a night out in town. This would certainly make a great conversation piece too.

However, I personally feel that not everyone could carry this pair of shoes well. People with thick ankles like me would look awful in this. Bleh! But then with a price tag of US$745, not everyone could afford that. My thick ankles are a blessing in disguise!

I have many friends who would buy tens of pairs of shoes every week and I call them "shoe people" but I believe in quality over quantity. I think that if they could just own a pair or two of Manolo Blahnik, they would be more than happy already! But then Manolo Blahnik shoes are so addictive, don't you think so?