Stories from Readers 3

....from a reader

Hi there,

I have found your blog through some links in Diary. Although the customer side of me is very happy that there is finally an avenue to compare prices between e-shops, I noticed that only the customers have been the ones speaking out, and I feel that as a blog shop we have to defend ourselves too.

I have never transacted with Rainbowmallows before (and after reading the complaints, most probably won't in the future =/) but I have to stress that not all blogshops practice the same ethics as she does. As a blogshop owner, I have always tried to do what's best for my customers, sometimes even defying my parents' orders to stay at home just to do a COD that was arranged half an hour ago (a customer called me, assuming I'm free to COD in half an hours' time.. good thing I was). My partner even went to the extent to send a customer home because it was raining. What actually makes our day was when customers sms-ed us to tell us that they LOVED the item.

Anyway, I'm just letting you know that not all e-shops are just out to get money, we like giving the satisfaction of a good purchase too. :)

Another thing is, I heard from another blog owner the the price and profit margin of some blogs were questioned last night. How much we raise the prices on our items are our prerogative. It's goes on the "willing buyer, willing seller" basis. If you are willing to buy at that price, well go ahead. If you want a cheaper price on something, the seller might not even sell it to you. Saying that all prices of e-shops should be the same (at a low price) means that we would have to discuss among ourselves on setting prices and that is COLLUSION.

To be fair, I understand that some e-shops make a good profit from their high prices when most of the blogshops get their stock from the same place. But that is because they have been in the business for a long time and they are selling their brand too. It's like, what gives you the satisfaction of buying an LV bag from a licensed LV boutique when you can buy the exact same thing (right down to the number of LV monograms) at a cheaper price? Online shopping is burgeoning and the famous ones are as good as buying from a local boutique like Treats or I=Am or whatever.

My point is, for customers who feel like they have been cheated/stood up for a COD/whatever should let the e-shops know first before going to the masses and flaming and discouraging the potential buyers from coming to the e-shops. At least give the e-shops a chance to better themselves because frankly, we're all still young and are the same age. How much more knowledge do we have about business compared to our dear customers? We're all learning together.