By Manuel L. Morato
The online shopping is quite enticing and I am one of those “hooked” by it, because it’s very convenient; and the fact that we are captive shoppers because of the pandemic.
I do not order directly for I have no patience to fill-up their online questionnaires that make me mad when it asks for the “province.” I keep pressing, but seldom does it respond – maski ilang beses ko pindutin. So I leave it to my staff to do it from my office for I have no patience to fill-up those forms. Can’t they simplify?
It is for the interest of the public that whoever owns the online shopping should and must allow the delivered box to be opened. Eh bawal daw buksan sabi ng mga katulong ko. Sabi din ng mga riders dapat bayad daw muna bago buksan. That’s very unreasonable and unfair to the buyers. It’s no longer buyer’s market. At your own risk ang labas. What’s this, a one-way traffic? Or sellers paradise? It must be fair to both sides.
After so many months on my buying-sprees, today lang ako natauhan – in a way.
The delivery arrived at 11:00 A.M. last Monday, ordered by one of my staff for me. It came daw from a Sta. Ana, warehouse in Manila; to the Luzon warehouse along Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City.
My houseboy who was at the guardhouse at the time the rider arrived, brought the package to my bedroom to get the payment for what is inside ordered by one of my staff.
I told my houseboy to open it up for I don’t know what’s inside; same with the rider who was waiting in the guardhouse for the payment of P1,099.00 if I remember correctly. Basta it’s a bit less than 1,100 pesos. The rider as well did not know what was inside. We know naman they are not at fault at all. Sila lang ang nagde-deliver.
When it was brought to me, sabi ko doon sa houseboy: “Ano raw ang nasa loob niyan? Ang sagot niya: “Bawal po buksan. Dapat po bayad muna bago buksan kasi po bawal buksan ng hindi pa bayad.”
Since I have received so many defective gadgets and other orders like lotions from China, wala naman printed instructions how to use the solution. Puro written in Chinese. I could not make use of them. It’s there in the computer when I tell my office (one of the staff) to order. I give the name of the product. Pero pag dumating na, hindi ko naman alam what the hell the liquid is for. No instruction in English inside the box; not even in Chinese, much less in Tagalog.
I’ve ordered so many times through my staff in my office. Ang dami ni hindi ko magamit. But last Monday, I told the household help to open it up. He repeated “bawal po hanggang hindi ko po naibigay yong bayad sa rider,” sabi niya. Pero, I insisted to open the box which he did. Pag bukas nong package, lumabas yong dalawang face masks very much in fashion now. My houseboy was even wearing one.
The houseboy remarked right away: “Bakit po tig P550.00 ang isa. Ito pong suot ko ay eksaktong kapareho. Binili ko po sa Kamuning Market for 88 pesos. Ganoon ba? Ibalik mo lokohan na ito. Sabihin mo sa rider tawagan ako ng warehouse sa Commonwealth Avenue. Binigay ko yong telephone number ng landline ko.
Sinabi ko sa rider, ibalik mo. Pero “baka hindi po tanggapin at nabuksan na po. Pababayaran po ito sa akin.” I told the rider, just try at marami na nilang niloko. Basta ibalik mo at ibigay mo ang pangalan ko at telephone number ko.
Kakausapin ko. Pag pinagbayad ka, bayaran mo at bumalik ka sa akin at ire-fund ko sa iyo.
I just wanted to tell the supplier na hindi tama ang kanilang ginagawa. Kawawa naman ang mga naloloko nila.
Imagine naman, almost 550.00 each and my houseboy got his exactly the same for only 88 pesos sa Kamuning Market.
Hindi na tama ito. It’s better to buy from the stores for a buyer has the privilege of examining the items before paying.
I wish to inform the public that this is happening. I’ve bought defective gadgets and it would take San Antonio de Padua to get a refund and/or change the defective items. My staff cannot reach the suppliers anymore.
Just a word of caution: Ingat po sa Online shopping. I’m sure many of you have also been victimized but can’t complain for it’s truly difficult to ring them back.
Those face masks I ordered were not for me. I have so many already. I wanted to give my two sisters for they seem to be comfortable to wear. I wear exactly the same model. Thicker plastic but lightweight. Nakakahilo kasi yong mga unang lumabas na manipis kasi the plastic keeps on wobbling. Nakakahilo.
Si Secretary Ramon Lopez po ng Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is an honest man. If he gets to know na these things are happening, for sure he would immediately act on it. I believe the online buyers should have the right to inspect the items delivered. I have not inspected those numerous items ordered for me by my staff. But honestly, I truly regret it. So many defective items I’ve received, I had such difficult time trying to have them replaced.
Charge it to experience. But the “experience” is getting to be “nauseating.”
Mag-negosyo po kayo the right way. Be a little bit more concerned sa ating kapwa. Any wrongdoing must be controlled or stopped. Based on my experience alone, I’ve spent a big sum and much of it went down the drain. My staff who order for me are worried at pangalan daw nila ang iba-ban. Hindi naman siguro I told them kasi isa lang sa maraming company ang napagsabihan natin.
It is only in this light that I speak out. Let’s build an honest society. Why? Because it’s good for our health and well-being, believe me.
For comments and suggestions email at mlmorato@yahoo.com