How I Got an Item Replaced through Shopee (28)

How I Got an Item Replaced through Shopee

by with 3 Comments Good Finds

I started online shopping several years ago when Zalora started their business in the Philippines. They offered free shipping then with no minimum amount of purchase so I ordered the cheapest shirt they sold and I got my order the following day. I have been ordering online since then. I even ordered from merchants on Facebook where I had to deposit my payment first before getting the item. I even ordered my camera online where I had to asked the merchant to refund me because the item was not yet on stock. I was at the mercy of the degree of honesty of the merchant. The amount was returned in full. Yes, the Php 26,000 I deposited to their account. Shoutout to DBGadgets!

I have never encountered receiving an incorrect item until a month ago. I ordered a foundation from L’Oreal’s official store on Shopee. (Why I ordered makeup is another story.) I was surprised to get a box that is bigger than expected. When I opened this is what I got.

A hair dye.

I do not color my hair. I had no use for this. I was already imagining the inconvenience I have to go through. I should have bought the foundation from the mall.

This is what I have to go through to get this replaced.


I was bent on just returning the item and getting a refund since there is no option for replacement. I immediately clicked on the return/refund button in Shopee. I printed the return slip that looks like this.

I was given three days to return the item through MLhuillier. I found the time to go to MLhuillier only on the second day after I printed the return slip. When I was already at MLhuillier trying to hand the package, the staff told me that they no longer accept returns. So I went home thinking if I should start dyeing my hair. hahaha

But I knew that it was not my fault that they delivered incorrectly and that I deserved to be refunded if they could not replace it.

So I emailed Shopee. I anticipated that I would not get a prompt response since they only promised to reply within 24 hours. The system only allows me to return within 3 days and my item’s due date is the following day.

I called the hotline. It was busy. So I used that chat option in the app. In just a few seconds of waiting, someone was replying for Shopee. I went as far as going to another MLhuillier branch as suggested and still the return was not accepted. The customer service agent on the other end assured me that I will not pay for shipping back the item. They would just arrange in their end how to go about the retrieval of the item given that MLhuillier no longer accepts them.

While I lodging my complaint to Shopee, I also sent a complaint to L’Oreal thru chat . Knowing that it was their mistake, they offered to replace the item.

They said they would arrange the retrieval of the item and replace it with the correct one. For this to happen, I had to cancel my refund request and just arrange everything with the seller (L’Oreal). As a precaution, I extended my Shopee guarantee as a protection. “Shopee Guarantee is a feature that protects buyers and sellers against fraudulent transactions to keep mobile shopping and selling safe and easy. Shopee Guarantee protects users by withholding the payment to Sellers until the Buyer confirms the receipt of the order. Once the Buyer accepts the order, the payment will be released to the Seller.” By extending, I still have the option to have the product refunded.

Three days after arranging this, the courier came to pickup the item. By this time, the Shopee guarantee extension already expired. The item is no longer with me and I can no longer refund if they fail to deliver the replacement. It was a 485-peso risk. I was willing to risk it to check how reliable they are. I had only 485 pesos to lose but L’Oreal will lose future sales from me if they fail to replace.

I kept asking for updates to let them know I am still waiting for the replacement.

Lo and behold, I got the item on February 27, 25 days after I ordered it.

Shopee and L’Oreal get virtual brownie points from me for giving me feedback every step of the way.

While I may have a positive outcome with my experience with online shopping, I cannot guarantee all sellers are like this. I am just sharing to let you know that replacement of online order is possible and there are several channels you can course through the complaint.

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5 Tips to Clearing the Air of Your Home

by with No Comment Good Finds

Did you know that indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than the air outdoors, primarily due to a lack of proper ventilation?

An increased presence of toxins happens because of different reasons:

 – Smoking or indoor fires, from stoves, fireplaces and other cooking activities.

 – Mold and asbestos, which can develop in areas like your carpets under damp, warm and dark conditions.

 – Higher levels of carbon monoxide and radon, which are both toxic gases

All of these can have severe adverse effects on your health, contributing to severe asthma, lung cancer, and other complications.

Regulating the quality of air inside your home is essential to leading a healthy lifestyle.

How do you do it?

Using air fresheners and other similar products to cover up damp or stale air only adds to the overall pollution inside the house, as they only mask the effects of pollutants instead of getting rid of them.

Instead, here is what you can do.

  1. Install Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Using low VOC paint on indoor walls and installing carbon monoxide detectors in every room is the first step towards ensuring better air quality. However, there are many other methods you can employ to cleanse the air in your house such as:

     2. Improve Indoor Ventilation

Open your windows! Install trickle vents or exhaust fans to regulate the air, especially in your kitchen and bathrooms to reduce the risk of mold and similar problems caused due to an increased moisture content in the air.

  1. Go in for Natural Purifiers

Beeswax candles and salt lamps are 100% naturally occurring substances, which act as natural air purifiers when burned as well as help elevate the atmosphere of the room.

  1. Purchase Air Purifiers

You can also buy an electronic purifier, for faster more effective air purification. These devices can filter out even the smallest of particles for fresh, helping you get clean breathing air inside your home. And they are cheap too, so you wouldn’t really feel any pinch on your pocket.

  1. Cleaning is Important

Your central heating system, ventilators, air conditioners and dehumidifiers collectively called the HVAC system require frequent cleanup and maintenance. Carpets, rugs, and furniture that catches a lot of dust also need to be dusted and often cleaned to avoid dust mites, especially if you have pets!

However, do look to reduce your dependence on cleaning products, as they contain strong chemicals such as bleach, hair sprays, deodorants, and nail polish indoors. Often, they include VOCs, chemicals known not just to affect your health but the environment as well.

Focusing on Your Daily Habits

Having plants inside the house can help by naturally decreasing the carbon dioxide content in the air as well as adding a natural, fresh and pleasant aroma to the room.

In a nutshell, some lifestyle changes can make a good difference.

 – Do not smoke indoors

 – Clean the carpets; they can be dirt magnets

 – Take off your shoes before entering the house and use a doormat

These simple tips can help reduce the amount of air pollutants and improve your health by fresh, clean breathing air.

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Get the Help You Need for Water Damage

by with No Comment Good Finds

Photo by Jouni Rajala on Unsplash

Water damage can happen without any warning, and it is important to get assistance right away before the problem gets worse. There are many water damage remediation companies out there. You want to choose the right one for your unique situation. The safety of your home or business depends on fast action, so always turn to a professional and experienced company that can start working on your water damage problems right away.

Find Out What Type of Water You are Dealing with

Water issues can be classified into three different groups. It is important for professionals to figure out what type of water you have damaging your home so that it can be cleaned up safely and quickly.

Category One

A category one water problem usually deals with sanitary water. You can often get this from a leaky appliance or certain types of broken pipes. It can be dealt with easily, but needs to be removed and dried quickly to avoid mold growth.

Category Two

This water category may have household chemicals in it. It could come from your bathroom and have soaps, shampoos, or other products mixed into it. It could also come from a room like your kitchen where it may be contaminated with cleaners, fats, oils, or many other things. This type of water is often called gray water, and professionals will have the right tools and equipment needed to clean it up safely.

Category Three

If you have a water problem involving a category three water group, you will definitely need professional assistance. This type of water is also known as black water. It could contain bacteria, pathogens that could make you sick, and could be extremely dangerous. A category three water problem could be caused by a sewage issue or from a severe storm or flood in your area.

Fast Assistance

You can count on a professional water damage restoration team to come to your home or business and inspect your property thoroughly. It is imperative to find where the problem is starting from. A burst pipe can flood your home, or a leaky roof can cause all sorts of issues inside of your property. Overflowing toilets will need to be taken care of, and leaky pipes will need to be resolved. Once your problem has been found and fixed, the water removal process can begin. Then the drying process will come next. If anything can be salvaged from a flood or extremely wet conditions, it will be. If not, severally damaged items will need to be disposed of. A good restoration company will be able to help your home or business look as good as new after the emergency has occurred.

Your water damage restoration needs should always be taken seriously. Work with a company that will send out experienced professionals to take care of your restoration as fast as possible. The longer that your flooring and other belongings are covered in water, the more damage you may be dealing with. You can feel confident about hiring a reputable team to make sure that your home or business gets back to looking the way that it did before it was damaged by water.

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How to Gain a Loyal Customer the Jackson’s Art Way

by with 7 Comments Good Finds

This post can also be entitled as “How not to go crazy with the Philippine Post Office”.

I am always on a hunt for online stores where I can buy my art supplies. I live in the province and my sources for art supply are in the bigger cities. I bought my watercolor materials from Fullybooked in Manila, Art Friend and Straits Art Co in Singapore. There is Art Nebula which I have already ordered items twice before and the transactions were seamless. But I am hoping for a wider range of products to try. Shout out to Art Bar! Please open your online shop already.

So imagine my excitement when I learned from an artist I follow on Instagram that the art supplies she ordered from Jackson’s Art in UK arrived at her doorstep in just a few days; I wanted to try it for myself. Jackson’s Art has a droolworthy selection of products for artists. I have a limited budget so I picked only what I immediately needed- brushes! I needed brushes for oil painting. I got an oil paint set as a gift from a friend. I also got two blank canvases as Christmas gift from another friend. Yes, I am lucky to have friends who understood my love for art.

So I immediately found myself browsing for brushes and learned that they offer free shipping for brush orders worth more than £20. I availed of the free shipping by ordering 5 brushes. The package was sent via regular post. It was estimated to arrive in 2 to 3 weeks. This was ordered on December 2, 2017. When I did not receive any notice 2 weeks after, I went to the post office on December 20, 2017. The person assigned there tried to check their records and found nothing. She told me to ask for the tracking number so she can look for it in their system. I told them I do not have a tracking number. I did not want to bother Jackson’s Art. I went home empty-handed and decided to go back a week after.

I went back on December 29, 2017. I still did not get my package. The person there told me to get the tracking number because it is easier to look for a package with a tracking number. I decided to email Jackson’s Art to ask for a tracking number. They replied immediately. I was told there was no tracking number because it was sent using regular mail. They were reassuring. They told me that the package may be delayed due to the holidays.

I was patient and I was persistent, too. So I went to the post office again on January 5, 2018. The person there again told me about getting a tracking number. I told her that it was sent through regular mail. She said that they have not gotten through their regular mails. I asked her that if it would be easier if I have a picture of what the package looks like. She said yes. So I emailed Jackson’s Art again about the possibility of showing me a photo what the package looks. They replied that all they can tell me is that it is in a regular padded mailing envelope and they did not have a photo since the package was processed in their warehouse. Carla of Jackson’s Art also told me to inform them if I still do not have the package by January 12.

At that moment, I was too disappointed with the Philippine post that I just decided to wait it out because that is what they are supposed to do. They are supposed to deliver the package (or at least a notice) to my doorstep and not me going to the post office. That is why there is an address written on the parcel! So I went digital, I know there is a Facebook page of the Philippine Post so I sent a message on the possible timeline for regular mail packages because the person in our post office seemed to treat them as last priority. So I got this reply.


It is already the 4th week of January and more than 35 working days since December 2, 2018. No package.

I have accepted the idea that I cannot trust the Philippines Post Office anymore. This is not the first time I have issues with them. The first time happened some years ago, I was expecting a dress from China. It was a blogger mail in exchange for a blog post. A month after it was sent, the sender emailed me if I received the package since it was already sent a month before so I went to the post office to check. I was just lucky that when I went there the package on the table in front of me was my package. It was already marked that they were unable to deliver it twice. It baffles me why they were not able to locate my house when utility companies and LBC are able deliver bills and packages successfully. The second incident was in the early 2015 when I joined a mailing exchange to practice calligraphy. I was supposed to receive 10 to 12 mails every month and I only received 3. So when I went for a vacation in Bacolod that year, I sent myself a post card through a post office there. I never received that post card. My friend, Gail, who sent herself a postcard, too, received hers in Davao City. My city’s post office needs to step up.

This was the postcard I should have received through mail.  This was my Instagram post  in 2015.

I was sad but Jackson’s Art is awesome. Since Carla said that I should email them if I have not received my package, I sent them an email on January 18, 2018.

And this is what I got in reply!

They refunded my payment! No questions asked. In my country, if you want a refund, you need certification that the mail did not arrive and a lot more paperwork. Jackson’s Art is awesome, people!

This prompted me to just reorder my brushes and order the watercolor papers I wanted to try. I picked DHL for mail this time. And I got the package today! Just 5 working days after I ordered them.

Happy mail!! Good job, DHL!

I got my brushes and watercolor pads!


This made me realize how we crave good customer service when it should not be something we beg from businesses. It should be a standard. When their customers are treated well, businesses will surely get much better returns. I ordered more that what I planned to spend initially after I got the refund. Hurray for Jackson’s Art! You definitely gained one loyal customer.

Update:

I got the package from the post office on February 8, 2018.