SERIES: Shopee Review & Mini Travel Haul

Reviews/Hauls are series of special or sponsored write-ups of different products and services featuring lifestyle brands ranging from travel to beauty to food and many more. My experiences with products or services may or may not be the same as yours. For sponsored write-ups, all opinions are inspired by my experiences and nothing else. 

I’ve never really been into online shopping. I think my sister shops online for all of us. HAHAHA! There’s almost a new package delivered to our address every month. If I do ‘shop’ online, it’s to book for flights and accommodations. If I need something, I usually just go to the physical store and buy from there.

I see the allure of online shopping especially when you take into account convenience and availability. A lot of brands that people want to purchase nowadays aren’t locally available in physical stores and since people are sometimes too busy or probably a bit lazy to go to actual malls, online shops act as the best & convenient choice.

I became aware of Shopee through online advertisements on YouTube. It presented inspiring stories of entrepreneurs who chose to sell their products and earn through Shopee than investing in a physical retail store. The stories were inspirational but it didn’t make me curious enough to use it. If I was a seller maybe I would have but I’m not one. I never cared for it as a buyer then as I perceived most of the advertisements on YouTube as nuisances.

A few months later, I wanted to buy a pair of sunglasses from a specific brand that wasn’t locally available. It was the first time I really wanted something that I couldn’t find in malls. I didn’t want to buy directly from the brand because I didn’t want the hassle of going to customs and paying for certain fees. I wanted it delivered directly to my address. So I searched for it on a few popular online shopping websites but I couldn’t find them. I remembered the YouTube advertisement and decided to give Shopee a try. I visited the website, searched the brand, and found the sunglasses! I signed up and even downloaded the app. Unfortunately, the seller informed me that the design I wanted was out of stock and will be available by next month. I informed the seller that I could wait.

After conversing with the seller, I couldn’t help but browse some more. I just typed whatever I could think of and was surprised that people were selling them on Shopee. I really liked how it felt like I was using a social media app. I searched for items I was interested in buying in the past for my travels and they were all there! I liked the app a lot! I’ve browsed through online shopping websites in the past but it was Shopee that really lured me in. It has that ‘social’ feel to it which I really like.

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SO, WHAT IS SHOPEE?

This is the part where bloggers usually copy & paste brand descriptions. HAHA! When I come across this when I read reviews, I skip it. I usually read the experiences of the writers themselves on the product or service! But for reference, here is a screenshot of Shopee’s description from the official website:

Here are just some of the things that I like about Shopee and some points that I feel that the brand should improve on: 

PROS	CONS
Free shipping – I believe that this is one of the best features of Shopee. Aside from the benefit of convenience, you don’t need to worry about added costs for the shipment. What I like about this feature as well is that the minimum amount you have to spend is only ₱250 per seller/shop. That’s a pretty great deal! If your favorite Instagram or FB sellers and other brands are on Shopee, why buy from their direct pages? There is usually added costs on shipping. Just download the app and save on shipping!	Duration of shipping – Shipping (seller to courier) and delivery (courier to buyer) may take a while depending on different factors like availability, location, holidays, weekends, etc. There is no rush/express shipping for the free shipping feature of Shopee. For my transactions, once order was confirmed shipping took around 2-3 days (includes weekends) while delivery took 1-4 more days. In summary, after my orders were confirmed, I received my items within 3-7 days.
Abundance & variety of brands – There are a lot of brands from different countries that Filipinos want to buy from but sadly are not yet available in physical stores in the country. If there are, it’s probably limited in the urban areas. Shopee provides buyers with so many brands. You can find almost all the popular brands on this app. The abundance of products on Shopee is very overwhelming. When you type brands or a certain product you’re looking for, there’s a high chance that someone is selling it on Shopee. I believe beauty enthusiasts will benefit most from Shopee as there are a lot of sellers of popular cosmetic brands from the west.	Fake products/Replicas – Since almost anyone can sell on Shopee, this includes sellers who post fake products or imitations of different brands.
Safe – Shopee guarantees security for buyers. The money you pay will only be given to the seller once you receive your item. You have the option of cancelling and returning your item if you feel that there is something wrong with it. Shopee Guarantee promotes that either you get the items that you ordered or you get your money back.
Social – Shopee, for me, is a very social shopping app or website. It can be comparable to Facebook but instead of friends you have sellers and instead of posts you have products. You can like products and even follow sellers/shops. You can converse with sellers as well and ask for details about the item you wish to purchase. You can even haggle and get better deals for items you’re interested in buying!
User friendly – The app or website is very easy to use. It’s really just like a social media app. You browse, you choose, you converse (if needed), you check out, and then you wait. The interface is organized that it’s very easy to shop. You can use the Shopee website through your laptops or download the app through your smart phones. Sign up is really easy too!
	Some Shopee profiles may not be updated – I wanted to get a pair of sunglasses from one seller. At the time I was browsing, there were still 10 stocks of the item. When I contacted the seller through the number posted on the profile to inquire more about the product, she informed me that she does not use Shopee that much anymore and that the sunglasses I wanted were out of stock. The seller only edited the profile after I informed my interest. (This may be an isolated case. My transactions with other sellers went well.)
	Some sellers may not be updated on Shopee shipping processes – I decided to buy a different pair of sunglasses from the same seller indicated in the point above. Since the seller hasn’t used Shopee in a while, she wasn’t aware that there was a new process in booking shipments. The item should have been shipped last Jan 21 but an inquiry with Shopee support had to be sent because the seller had some concerns on shipping. (This may be an isolated case. My transactions with other sellers went well.)
Proactive support – Customer service of Shopee is very accommodating. They respond quickly to my inquiries as I get replies after 15 minutes at the minimum or 1 day at max. They even call to converse personally about the inquiry. They act on problems and provide solutions as soon as they can. I really appreciate this work ethic from the Shopee team.	Grammatical errors in emails – This is a minor con and just something to improve on. I’m not perfect either (and make writing errors from time to time too) but since Shopee is a big business, customer support should be aware of the emails that they send. My customer representative had a few grammatical errors with the use of verb tenses. This is just the semi-grammar nazi in me! This shouldn’t be taken to heart but just wanted to include.
Ratings & reviews – I really love this part of Shopee! Before purchasing an item, you get to see feedback from previous buyers. You become aware if the product is authentic, if the seller is accommodating, or if the shop deserves your purchase.
Promos/Discount codes – Shopee offers discounts and promos throughout the year. Watch out for these on their social media pages so you can save more. These codes can pop up during holidays or pay day week periods so always be on the lookout! You can also be notified through the app!
My Purchases tabs – I really like that the purchased items are organized in tabs so that you would know the status of your item – if seller confirms transaction, if payment is confirmed, if item is still with the seller or courier, or if it has already been delivered to the shipping address.	Late notifications – Although the purchase details are organized in tabs so you know what part of the transaction your item is in (to pay, to ship, to receive, etc), details may or may not be updated in real time. Example of this was when sellers updated me through chat that the item has been shipped to the courier but my item was still in the “To Ship” tab when it should have been updated to the “To Receive” tab. It was only updated a day after. But when the items were delivered to my address, I was notified through the app a few minutes after the item was dropped off.
Shopee coins – For every ₱1 spent, you earn 1 Shopee coin. For future transactions, you can buy items with your Shopee coins. 100 Shopee coins is equivalent to ₱1.
Cash On Delivery – Some sellers have COD as their payment option. You don’t have to pay any money until your item has been delivered to your address. This benefits the buyer as he/she can check the item(s) first before paying cash. This also avoids the hassle of paying in banks or payment centers.

MY SHOPEE-NG EXPERIENCE

Shopee-ing is really easy! If you know what you want, you can have an item checked out in 10 minutes or less! Here’s a guide of my Shopee-ing experience in 4 easy steps and some tips that can help you when you have your own Shopee-ing experience!

STEP 1: Sign up!

You can sign up by downloading the app or visiting the website. It’s a quick sign up and it’s totally free! You can sign up via a phone number, email, or your FB account.

Screenshot from shopee.ph

STEP 2: Browse & buy!

Search products you’re interested in purchasing by typing the item or brand. You can just use keywords and see what comes up! You can even filter the items by relevance, latest, top sales, and price.

Screenshot from shopee.ph

What I do first is usually tick the Shopee preferred filter. Sellers become Shopee preferred when their profile has high shop ratings, excellent sales, good customer service record, good quality, and competitively priced products. Always look out for items with ‘✓Preferred’ mark so you know that these shops have been tried and tested well by a lot of buyers.

Once you’re interested in a certain product, always double check the seller’s profile page. Check their activity if they have been online recently, the # of followers they have, and most importantly the ratings. I always check the ratings for detailed comments and read a few to make sure that buyers had good experiences with the seller.

Screenshot from shopee.ph

When you’re on the product page, check the product description as well. If the description is too short sometimes, I open the chat box and inquire more facts about the item. This is what I like about Shopee, it’s very social and you can freely ask questions to the sellers. Make sure to check the stock as well if you’re interested in buying more than 1 piece of a specific item. If shipping duration matters to you, check the days to ship information as well.

Screenshot from shopee.ph

If you feel that you want to save some more on an item, try haggling! Sellers I interacted with were really nice. I even got P50 off a certain item. There’s no harm in trying, right? Ask nicely and never demand! I really felt like I was just chatting to a friend on FB. It was quite fun!

When you’re sure that you want an item, click on ‘BUY NOW’ or ‘ADD TO CART’. The ‘Buy Now’ option is for those who are only interested in that item from one seller and nothing else. The ‘Add to Cart’ option is if you want to buy more than one item from the same or other sellers. If you want to avail the free shipping option, make sure that you reach the minimum required amount for EACH seller. In my case, I had to get items that are worth at least ₱250 per seller I bought from to get free shipping for everything.

STEP 3: Check out!

Screenshot from shopee.ph

When you’re done browsing and adding items to your cart, it’s time to check out! Do a quick scan of your items and make sure the quantities and amounts are correct. Double check the shipping option as well because some have default shipping methods that are not the free option. Just click on the edit link and make the necessary changes. Once done, click the check out button.

Screenshot from shopee.ph

The next step is adding your delivery address and payment method.

The following payment methods are applicable on Shopee:

• Cash on delivery (COD) – please note that not all sellers provide this option
• Remittance/payment center – LBC bills payment, SM bills payment, Robinsons dep’t store, Bayad center, EC pay, and M Lhuillier
• Over the counter – BDO, BPI, Metrobank, Eastwest bank, Chinabank, RCBC, and PNB
• Online banking – BPI, and Metrobank
• Bank transfer

After adding your address and payment, don’t forget to add a promo code (if any)! Always be on the look out for promo/discount codes on Shopee’s social media accounts and notifications on the app to save on your purchases!

Screenshot from shopee.ph

Once you typed in any promo code, you can place your order!

STEP 4: Wait gratefully!

Once you’ve placed your order, wait for confirmation from the seller. When the seller confirms, it’s either you pay in the method that you chose or wait for your delivery at once if you chose COD.

Screenshot from shopee.ph

And the waiting game begins! You can check the status of your items by going to the ‘My Purchases’ page. There, you’ll see these different tabs:

(1) To Pay – When the seller confirms your order, you have to pay in the method that you chose. When you’re done paying, confirm your payment on this tab and wait for your item to transfer to the next tab. If you chose COD, the item will automatically be found on the ‘to ship’ tab.

(2) To Ship – The details here indicate the date when the seller would bring your item to the courier (ex: LBC, Black Arrow, etc). The date is just an estimate. The seller may ship the item to the courier before or on the date indicated. If the seller fails to ship the item by estimated date, you have the option of extending Shopee Guarantee for another 3 days or cancel the order. You may also contact the seller and ask why the item hasn’t been shipped yet.

(3) To Receive – On this tab, you can see the delivery details from the courier to your shipping address. The transaction # is indicated here so you if you can’t wait for the details to be updated (details may be updated a few hours up to a day late after each event) on Shopee, you can go to the courier’s website directly and just track your package.

Screenshot from Black Arrow Express’ website

(4) Completed – Once you’ve received your item and you’re satisfied with it, you can confirm the receipt and rate the shop. When you rate your sellers/items, try to be specific with your comments to provide future buyers significant details for their purchases on Shopee. This is also your way of thanking the sellers by reward through a good rating or helping them improve through a not so good rating.

(5) Cancelled – This tab is for cancelled orders if you were not satisfied with your item or there were problems during shipment from seller to courier and delivery from courier to buyer.

If any update happens, you’ll always be notified! 

Screenshot from shopee.ph

Always be grateful for items that you buy. Always be grateful for items that you paid for. They are rewards for your hard work or efforts. They are blessings. Be grateful for the chance to purchase and enjoy nice things in life. Be grateful for the seller and the courier for their efforts in making sure that your interest is fulfilled. Always be grateful for every step of a purchase!

Here is a summary of my purchases:

Date ordered	Item	Price (PHP)	Seller	Date shipped (seller to courier)	Date delivered (courier to buyer)	Package & Item conditions
Jan 20	Carmex lip balm	279.50	carmexph	Jan 23	Jan 24	Shipped via LBC; Lip balms were wrapped in clear plastic and the items are still in their original paper packaging; Exp Date 10/2018
	Sixteen Sunnies	1,200	xvisunnies	Jan 24	Jan 27	Shipped via Black Arrow; Sunglasses were wrapped in plastic and placed inside a soft case. There was a little peeling on the arms.
	Becca Beach Tint in Guava	1,500	makeupdepot	Jan 23	Jan 24	Shipped via LBC; Beach tint still in original box and was bubble wrapped; Box was a little crumpled but tube is good; Exp date on box is 12m while Exp date on tube is 6m

SHOPEE MINI TRAVEL HAUL

For this Shopee experience, I did a mini travel haul! I wanted to buy items that I could use during my trips varying on specific needs. I’m the type of explorer that wants everything to be light so I looked for items that are travel sized.

Travelers have a lot of products to choose from in Shopee depending on what is needed. You just type a specific brand or item and most likely something will come up. You also have the option of budgeting because you see the products that you want in different varieties and prices. If a trip is coming up and you don’t have time to shop at a physical store or mall, try browsing through Shopee and check out items that you need.

Here is a mini travel haul of items that I’ll surely maximize the use of during my upcoming travels or even in everyday life:

(1) Classic Carmex Moisturizing Lip Balm Tube (10g) from carmexph

PRODUCT: Now I understand why a lot of people say that this is their HG lip balm! This stuff is amazing!

I’ve been trying a lot of products to hydrate my lips ever since the worst lip burn I had in Jan 2016. I’ve tried balms from Vaseline, Nivea, and even Clinique but none of those had the effect of what the Carmex product did. I’ve only used it twice but the results were really good. I was so surprised how good this stuff is!

After I put balms, I usually rub and lick my lips a lot. With the Vaseline, Nivea, & Clinique ones, after the product is gone, my lips start to feel dry and flaky again. Even when the balm is on, I could still feel a few bumps of skin when I rub my lips together. But with the Carmex balm, it feels smooth from the start until a day after each use!

I chose the Camex balm in a tube because it is more hygienic. With pots or click sticks, I feel that there would be bacteria transferred from the fingers or lips to the product. With a tube, you just squeeze the amount of product you need on your finger and glide it on the lips. Since the product has menthol in it, it has that ‘Vicks’ kind of smell. It also has that stingy and cool feeling about 2-3 minutes after your apply the product. The stingy feeling is not painful in any way. It just feels like you put toothpaste or mint on your lips. It’s a very cool effect.

When the product was gone, my lips felt so smooth that I just kept on rubbing my lips together. There was no flaky skin! I was so happy with the effect of this product that I also tried using this overnight. Before I went to bed, I applied some on my lips. When I woke up, my lips felt really smooth and hydrated. My lips did really look and feel hydrated! The hype is real!

I can’t wait to use this product during my travels especially during the winter seasons. I’ve always been on the look out for this product in drugstores or mall department stores but they are always out of stock! When I saw that carmexph had stocks on Shopee, I immediately checked out 2 pieces of the tube. If this product goes well during my travels, I will definitely purchase again!

SELLER (carmexph): The carmexph team was nice and responsive to my queries.

NOTE: The Carmex lip balm yielded good results on me with two uses. This MAY or MAY NOT work for you. I will try to update this post after I use them more or on actual travels. Please proceed with caution when purchasing skin care or beauty items online.

UPDATE (April 7, 2017): I love this product! My mom and sister love it too! They actually got my back-up stocks! A little goes a long way and this product really hydrates the lips for long periods of time. It’s very comfortable and not sticky or waxy. 

(2) Manhattan Rose Sunglasses from xvisunnies

Please note that these are not the sunglasses I was talking about in the intro.

PRODUCT: OMG! I love these sunglasses! They are so chic and pretty! They are super flattering as well. When I saw these on Shopee, I was definitely curious. Since this Shopee account wasn’t that active, I looked up its direct website and the designs that they have are so stylish! I checked the brand’s FB page and found out that these sunglasses are imported from Australia. The seller informed me that they have the same supplier as Shevoke so they’re really of quality.

Aside from being chic, it has UV400! When I travel, I find it hard sometimes to take photos when the sun is too bright. I really need functional sunglasses not only to shade my eyes but also to protect my eyes and the skin around it from the UV rays.

Aside from the sunglasses, it comes with a soft case that easily closes so that it wouldn’t easily slip out. But the case wouldn’t be much help if it was sat on or packed tight with other stuff in a bag. When I removed the plastic and saw the sunglasses, I immediately fell in love. The reflective frosted glass looked so cool and pretty. I really liked it! When I showed it to my mom, she liked it so much that she wanted to borrow it immediately for her weekend trip.

I am not a fan of the arms of the sunglasses because they feel like a material of a utensil that I’d find in a kitchen. But since the reflective lenses are what you notice first, I don’t really mind so much.

I really LOVE the reflective lenses! You can check someone out or roll your eyes at mean girls without being so obvious! HAHAHAHA! No one can see your eyes with this! It functions well too as it drowns out a high level of brightness. At different angles and environments, the color of the lens change. Sometimes it’s rose, other times there’s a hint of silver or rose gold, or black. It’s super cool!

If the wear and quality of these sunglasses are good after several uses during different trips like beaches, I will definitely get more stocks in another design from Sixteen Sunnies. I’m also getting another pair because I’m sure the pair I have now will probably be stolen by my mom or sisters in the near future and will never get them back! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

SELLER (xvisunnies): When I opened the product and saw that the stock I received had a little peeling on the arms, I immediately sent photos to the seller. She immediately apologized for the mistake and provided options as compensation for overlooking the quality of the item. She was really accommodating and I really appreciated her for it. The seller was also very responsive to all my queries.

(3) Becca Beach Tint in Guava (7ml) from makeupdepot

PRODUCT: Since most of my flights are red eye, my face often looks dull and tired after. I get embarrassed when people I meet on tours ask why I look so stressed and tired. I wanted to get something that would change this.

A few months ago, I wrote about how much I loved the Sisley Masks and how they take care of my skin after night flights and jam packed itineraries. The masks help in brightening, plumping, and hydrating my skin. But aside from these masks which make my skin healthier, I wanted something to give a little color to my face. 

During one of my travels, my roommate from a hostel used this beach tint on her cheeks and lips before the start of tour. The product really looked good on her and showed a beautiful natural look. After 8 hours of touring, I noticed that she was still flushed. We even swam a little during the day. She was Asian too and had the same skin color as me. I asked her about the beach tint and she said she swears by it. She traveled a lot and wanted a product that can be used quickly to show a nice flushed face.

When I saw this on Shopee, I was definitely sold on buying it. Not only did this product have great reviews online, it also has Vitamin E and is oil free. I have combination skin so this was a really good feature. When you first see the product, you’d be surprised at how small the tube is. But a little goes a long way! With one use, I only squeezed out a small dot and the effect was a very pretty flush on me. You can blend out the product well and add more if you’re not satisfied with the shade on your cheeks. Since I’m only going for a natural flush and a bit of color, a dot of product for both cheeks was enough for me.

I really like the Guava shade. It’s very natural, matte, and a subtle pink. It also has a fruity scent. I really like it! And what’s good about this is that whenever I travel, it would only take me less than 10 seconds to apply and blend on my cheeks or lips. I tested this out after I got it by putting the same amount on both cheeks but set one cheek with translucent power to check longevity. I went along my day without any touch ups. After 6 hours of wear, there was still a hint of flush but more noticeable on the side where I set with translucent powder.

The product also claims to be water resistant so this is a good product when you’ll travel to beaches.

SELLER (makeupdepot): The makeupdepot seller was really nice. She answered all my questions before I bought the product and even gave me a discount when I haggled. She was very responsive. The seller is proactive too as she informed me in real time when my item was already shipped. I really appreciated this gesture.

When the package arrived and I saw that the months of expiration was different on the box and the tube, I immediately told her the condition and sent photos of the discrepancy. She quickly admitted that she overlooked the detail. To prove that her product was real, she showed her Sephora transaction. I didn’t doubt this seller because her profile has high ratings and good comments. She emailed Sephora about the products and will update me on it. She also offered to give a freebie on my next transaction.

UPDATE (April 7, 2017): The seller never updated me and when I followed up, I found out that they never emailed Sephora. Also, when the product is not in use, the oil separates from the pigment so when you don’t mix the product, an oily residue will come out first (other reviews have the same feedback). I stopped using this product because no matter how much I mix it, the product that comes out is still oily. It was good during the first few uses but it all went downhill after that. 

NOTE: The Becca beach tint yielded good results on me with one use. This MAY or MAY NOT work for you. I will try to update this post after I use them more or on actual travels. Please proceed with caution when purchasing skin care or beauty items online.

TRY USING SHOPEE! 

Download the app or visit the website, sign up, and start Shopee-ng!

• App Store: Shopee Philippines – Buy and Sell on Mobile
• Google Play: Shopee PH – Buy and Sell on Mobile
• Website: shopee.ph 

Enter my code SHOPEEIRENE5 to save on your first purchase! You’ll get ₱150 off your ₱400 purchase!

Terms and Conditions:

• The code is valid for ONE TIME USE and NEW USERS only.
• Minimum spend is ₱400
• Valid until February 28, 2017.
• First 20 new users only.
• Shopee Promo/Discount code to be entered at the checkout page. 
• Applicable for transactions under Shopee Guarantee only. 
• Shopee reserves the right to cancel/amend this promo anytime.

For news & discount codes, follow SHOPEE social media accounts!

• Facebook/Twitter: @ShopeePH
• Instagram: @shopee_ph

Have you tried SHOPEE? Share your experiences in the comments!

This is a sponsored haul & review. All opinions are inspired by my experiences & nothing else.