But now that I am pregnant for the second time, I realize that some of these grandma panties have stretched way past their time, and it’s very uncomfortable wearing undies which are loose.

So I hunted for some new maternity panties, and found some in Jaya Jusco going for dirt cheap prices.  Unfortunately some of them had fabric that cut into the skin and did not feel comfortable at all.

Then I discovered Bravado! undies.  I own a few of the Bravado! bras and have only good things to say about them, so I was curious to find out what the fuss was all about the undies.  I promptly ordered a 2-pair pack of the bikini panties from BreakoutBras, based on the lowest price available in the market.  I prefer bikini types because I like my maternity undies to fall below the belly rather than cover it.  So when the undies arrived in the mail, I couldn’t wait to wash, dry and try them on. 

Now guess what?  These are the most comfortable, softest, move-with-your-body maternity undies I have ever owned!  The elastic band around the waist (or rather below the belly) is of a soft stretchable material that does not leave any marks on your skin.  I cannot imagine going through pregnancy without this staple item in my wardrobe!  In fact, I do wish they came in more colors, so that I have a more varied choice!

Nevertheless, I just could not help NOT placing a second order for these bikini undies!  My order will arrive in a couple of days’ time and I just can’t wait!  Oh, Bravado! undies also come in two other styles, i.e. the maternity briefs (that offer full coverage of the belly) and also the thong (if you are worried about VPLs!).

By the way, BreakoutBras offers free shipping on all US orders regardless of amount and an additional 10% discount on repeat orders!

The free shipping offer on the Coach online website is valid only for today until Monday, November 17th 2008 11:59p.m. EST, and it is only for purchases $100 and more to Continental US only.  If you want to take advantage of this offer, hurry on over to Coach now, because if you’re like me, you’re gonna take a LONG time deciding what to get!

Oh by the way, these are some of my current favorites now:

 
The Coach Graphic Op Art Julianne

 
The Coach Tonal Patchwork Zoe

 
The Coach Soho Leather Large Hobo

All photos are credited to Coach.

You can bet I spent quite a fortune on Clinique products.  Well, enough to accumulate a collection a lipsticks, so much so that I could even give some away, and still have a stash to be used.

Anyway, I have since stopped using Clinique but you know, something at Nordstrom is begging me to go take a look at the Clinique counter again.  From now till November 22, there is a Nordstron exclusive Clinique Bonus Time event where you will get the following free gift pack with any purchase of $25 or more!  That’s very easy to hit, with maybe just one or two products!

That Trina Turk cosmetic bag is looking rather chic too, I might add.  And I do so need a new one myself.

Yes.  This is how the customer and shopper should be treated.  In the United States, the phrase “the customer is always right” brings a whole new different meaning.  And no, I am not talking about being a bully or pushover while shopping, but over the past month or so, my hubby and I have encountered many a happy shopping experience here.  Allow me to illustrate.

Case 1
We did our grocery shopping at Ranch 99, a local Asian market.  And when we got home, I realized that the yogurt I had purchased was way past its sell-by date.  So the next time we visited the store (which was a good one week later, I believe), I brought along my receipt and the yogurt, and explained it to the manager in charge.  I expected her to return me some store credit, and ask me to purchase something else of equal or greater value, but no, she apologized for the mistake, and promptly return CASH to me, including the sales tax charged.

Case 2
At Walmart, we purchased a shower nozzle with a hose to fix to our bathtub, but unfortunately when we tried it at home, it would not fit.  We had already taken the hose and nozzle out of its wrapper then.  My hubby took the item and the receipt back to Walmart a few days later, went up to the Exchange and Returns counter, and was promptly refunded the dollar amount plus tax that we paid, no questions asked.

Case 3
I bought a bottle of massage oil in the latest fragrance from Bath & Body Works.  And I was told that if I didn’t like the fragrance or if I changed my mind about it later, I could return it.  When I asked the salesperson if I had to return it within a week, she didn’t seem too worried and said, “Oh, perhaps in about a month, would be fine too.”  Turns out we wanted to exchange it for a different scent and only found time to take it back after almost a month.  I brought a new bottle in a different scent to the cashier and told her I would like to exchange it.  Again, I was so impressed that she didn’t even ask me WHY I need to exchange it.  She just took the first bottle and placed it behind the counter and wrapped up the new bottle for me.  Handed it all to me with a smile.  Now that’s what I call excellent customer service.

Compare these scenarios to what I had to go through in Jaya Jusco Penang when I went back to claim an additional discount I was SUPPOSED to be given.  The supervisor then wouldn’t even give me the excess payment I was charged with.  Instead I had to spend half an hour looking for something in the store to cover the amount.  Isn’t that a waste of time?

In what is also known as a reversed auction, Paylessbid.com’s online auction is one-of-its-kind because it requires a little plotting and scheming along the way, if you really want that particular electronic product for a bargain.  For example, if you have been eyeing the new Apple 16G iPhone 3G, typically, in regular auctions, what you would do is to make sure you outbid everyone else.

However, in this reversed auction, you need to remember that only the highest unique bidder wins.  What’s more, some strategy comes into play when you are able to outbid other bidders, by bidding the same amount, thus cancelling their bid, and at the same time propelling your bid to a higher position.

Confused? 

Don’t worry, so was I, till I read the guidelines on how to bid and took the three-minute-or-so virtual tour, which is really self-explanatory.

If you want some hands-on bidding practice, you can also try your hand at the practice auction, before you actually try the real thing.  After all, signing up is free of charge, and it never hurts to take a look first before you commit, right?

Happy bidding!

And no…I don’t mean physically shopping on a street named eBay of course!

While I have been an eBay member for a very long time, I had not ventured into eBay shopping until recently.  I was of course tempted by certain eBay sellers offering their items for a really low price, and also the lure of something known as FREE SHIPPING.  Most of the sellers do not offer free shipping of course, but I like to look for those that do.

Here are a few tips and pointers I used while I did my eBay shopping, all from the comfort of my computer chair at home.

• Shopping on eBay is something not to be taken lightly, because first of all, we need to verify that the seller is a trustworthy one.  We wouldn’t want that person to run away with our hard-earned cash now, would we?  All eBay sellers have something called a feedback rating, where you can read all about other buyers’ experience with the said seller.  You will then be able to gauge if the seller is prompt in delivery of goods, or if the items are in good condition, for example.
• Next, we need to ensure the price we pay is worth it.  For example, make sure the item is the exact model you want and if you are looking for a new item, make sure it is not a secondhand one. 
• Most of the eBay sellers I contacted responded rather promptly the first time, but some of them, unfortunately, stopped corresponding once I asked a few more questions.  I most certainly didn’t want to deal with sellers like that!
• Almost all eBay sellers prefer payment made via PayPal, so it would definitely help if you have a PayPal account handy.
• eBay has a feature called a Watch list, where you can mark selected items for *watching*.  This way, you will be able to keep track of the items you had in mind, make comparisons, and be informed if the seller relists or changes the price of the item.  A very handy tool, I would say, when there are tons of stuff up for sale on eBay.

Well, I am happy to say that I am very pleased with my maiden purchase on eBay, albeit I discovered that the price of that exact same item was further discounted on Amazon a couple of days after I bought it.  SIGH.  C’est la vie!

I am intrigued by the bidding process on eBay, and although I have not tried that out yet, I just might, one of these days!

I remember when I took my parents to get themselves a pair of prescription glasses from a nearby optical store.  First, the sales personnel would examine their eyes to obtain a reading to determine the amount of power needed in each eye, and then my parents were ushered into a dark room, one by one, to further correct and accurately determine the type of prescription they would need.

Next, we were faced with the humungous task of choosing a frame that would fit, and of course, it needed to complement the facial features too.  More often than not, we would find ourselves inundated with the endless choices in the store, and we would not be able to make an informed decision as quickly as we would want to.

But now, if anyone wants to get a pair of prescription eyeglasses at a really affordable rate without leaving their homes (well, except to get their eyes checked and to obtain the prescription, that is), they can get the eyeglasses online, thanks to ZenniOptical.com.

Not only will you find a huge selection of frames to choose from, there are many types of lenses to go with them too, such as bifocal lenses, sunsensor lenses, tinted lenses and progressive lenses, to name a few.  There is also a wide selection of sunglasses to suit your fancy.  What’s more, shipping and handling is only a flat rate of $4.95 per order.  That’s a huge amount of savings, considering the rise in the price of gasoline!

Even better, it was just about 20 minutes’ drive away from where we are staying.

Temptation beckons, indeed.

And since we arrived, we have only been there ONCE.  There is ample parking space, and the layout is similar to the Mutiara Damansara one, right from the two-level building to the escalators leading to the main entrance.

I was also surprised to note that most of the items were cheaper than those in Malaysia.  At least the items we were eyeing, that is.

Well, this weekend, we just might make our second visit to IKEA.  Know why?

This means a grand savings of 8.25% from the total purchase.  The only thing I will be dreading (if we do go) is probably the crowd.

Shopping in the US of A is a whole different experience than shopping in Malaysia.  For one, most of the things being sold are of different brands.  Oh, in grocery stores, at least here in San Jose, we do get aisles selling Asian stuff but not everything is here.  We also have Asian markets here, selling mostly the stuff you would see in a Malaysian supermarket, and here’s where you can find a LOT of Asians doing their shopping rounds.  So stuff like oyster sauce, soy sauce in rather familiar brand names and even seasonings and “cooling tea” concoctions can be found here.

Here are a few differences I have noticed from the shopping experience I have had here so far:

• Most of the parking is free.  There are parking lots available in front of the stores and you can park there for as long as you like.  Most of the lots are open-air ones.  I hardly see any basement and multi-storey parking lots here.
• Sales tax is chargeable on every item you purchase.  Depending on the US state, the sales tax could vary considerably.  Here, I need to remember that everything I buy will be taxed an additional 8.25%! ..unless I buy stuff online, that is.
• When I make a purchase with my credit card, I don’t even need to give the credit card to the cashier.  It’s pretty much do-it-yourself here.  There is a terminal that allows the customer to select Debit/Credit from the touch screen and then swipe the card themselves.  The approval is almost instantaneous, and we sign on the touch screen and we’re all set!

I did notice a few instances of kiasuism on a few occasions though.  Stuff I thought would not be present here, but…. anyhow, in supermarket checkout lanes, there are normally a few lanes for speedy checkouts, i.e. purchases less than 15 items, for example.  I saw these 2 ladies, with a cartful of groceries lining up in this lane, and what they did was…they split their purchases!  So one lady goes through with 15 items and the second lady follows suit with the remainder of the items!  I also saw a couple doing the same thing. 

Hey, I’m not racist or anything, but on these two occasions, these people certainly do not look Caucasian.  SIGH….I guess it’s a taste from home, huh?

Anyway, we are here in the States now and I am ever so happy and excited to revive my shopping experiences here!  I try to be as prudent as possible when shopping, because it really is easy to go overboard here.  I need to bear in mind though that sales tax is applicable whenever I shop, except some online stores, that is.

One of my regrets was not being able to place an order for the Bravado Pre-Order Sale sometime back.  It was too close to the date we were to leave Malaysia, and I did not want to run the risk of not being able to get the items on time.

So in the last few days, I was busy surfing the net, trying to land myself a sweet sweet deal for Bravado items.  And that’s when I discovered Mom4Life. 

While surveying the prices of Bravado items on the internet, I discovered a site which had a lower price than the one offered at Mom4Life.  And here’s where this cool feature called Price Matching comes in.  Mom4Life will offer to match the regular retail price (shipping cost included) of any site with a lower price, to the best of their ability!  I decided to try this feature out, and I was VERY impressed that the customer service personnel at Mom4Life was able to match the price I stated. 

So in the end, I made the purchase at Mom4Life, receiving free shipping on my order as well.  Oh, by the way, Mom4Life offers free shipping on all US orders, with no minimum purchase!  For the month of October too, all purchases over $50 qualify for an exclusive FREE Mom 4 Life t-shirt!

When I received my order today, I was pleasantly surprised that they had included a pepermint lip balm too!  I am very happy with the service rendered by Mom4Life, and in fact, I just might take a peek to see what else there is to order from this wonderful find of a site!