Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Online Shopping While Travelling - Your Options

Problem
When you get home from a trip  you are super busy opening your post, collecting items which had to be signed for from the post office or the neighbours, hunting around the house for where your family have hidden parcels, bills and important items which arrived for you.

Answer
Years ago I used to post my films to the developers and find the first half of my travel trip photos were already on my doorstep. This was really handy when I was a travel writer. I had photos to send off with my articles. I could label the photos. Now I can calculate when to get things sent to my assorted addresses.

If you have two homes, or a second business office, at some point you start wondering whether to have your mail address changed to the new place. this can involve several changes.

What might you want to change? Amazon and ebay deliveries.

Sometimes if I order a lot just before going away my family at home complain about the number of items which have arrived too late for my trip. "Mum - I'm working from home - I don't want constant interruptions," or, "I'm out working in the day. I don't want items arriving for you in your name and having to take identity with a  photo and to find utility bills in your name or mine to prove I live here and to take two or three trips to the post office which keeps funny hours for the part which has items you can collect."

Another solution is the boxes where you are sent a code to open the box.

In the UK we have click and collect. Locations include Argos and small supermarkets.

In Singapore the collection boxes are in malls and also in HDB blocks (subsidized public housing tied to your income, in which most of the local population lives - but ex-pats are mostly not eligible).

The other thing you need to note is that as you change country your computer or mobile phone bring you in offers from the location where you are when you view the ad.

Today I looked at a mail order firm for a useful travel scarf with a zipped pocket. The item was listed in US dollars with prices for shipping to a USA address. In addition to changing my home address, I had to change the currency and the shipping options. This was quite simple, just scroll down the list.

Aha! The cheaper price I discovered had been quote in US dollars. When converted to another currency the price shot up above the rival company's offer.

USA and UK
In the USA and UK and worldwide you might want to be on Amazon.com and ebay and etsy. In the UK I am also on Amazon.co.uk

If you have two phones you can install local companies.
From the USA
Amazon
Etsy
Wish (you can check them out on Wikipedia)

 In Asia:
alibaba
Qoo10
Redmart

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

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