Showing posts with label legitimacy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label legitimacy. Show all posts
Friday, January 11, 2013
Online sales of contact lenses
From the Straits Times:
Singapore - March 9, 2009
By Serene Luo
Stop online sale of contact lens.
Blogshops warned to stop contact lens sales
Ministry tells online sellers to remove all related posts at once.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) yesterday morning warned unlicensed blogshops to stop selling cosmetic contact lenses.
The Optometrists and Opticians Board of the ministry sent e-mail letters, which The Straits Times obtained, to blogshop owners to remove all contact lens-related posts from their blogs immediately as well.
If they did not, they could run foul of the Optometrists and Opticians Act, and face jail of up to six months or fines up to $25,000, or both, for prescribing and dispensing contact lenses without being qualified to do so.
The cosmetic lenses are popular with teenage girls, but some users have developed complications, such as corneal ulcers or conjunctivitis, from wearing them.
Last month, The Straits Times' forum published a letter from the board, warning buyers to buy lenses only from licensed and qualified sellers.
The cosmetic lenses are being sold on personal blogs, which have become a platform for teens and youth as young as in primary school to sell clothing and accessories. Their customers are usually other youth.
This is the second reported action taken by a government agency on casual, typically unregistered, online businesses.
About two years ago, two blogshops selling food products were asked by the National Environment Agency to remove mention of their wares online. The law prohibits food prepared at home from being sold to the public because of food safety concerns.
Checks by The Straits Times last week found there were at least 10 online 'stores', mostly run by young women in their teens or early 20s, selling cosmetic contact lenses.
These lenses, which are usually imported from South Korea, may or may not be powered but reportedly make the users' eyes look 'bigger and more sparkling'.
But a Sunday Times article last month reported that eye doctors and opticians had seen a spike in eye infections in users who had bought cosmetic lenses from online sellers.
In Singapore, only qualified and licensed practitioners are allowed to prescribe and sell contact lenses.
When contacted, a number of blogshop owners said they would sell the lenses only to overseas customers.
A few also said they had certificates from suppliers to prove the lenses were 'authentic' and not faked goods.
One blogshop owner, a 21-year-old who wanted to be known only as Miss Tan, said she would stop all sales after completing her current order this week, as many customers had already paid.
She added that even though she had announced on her blog that she was stopping sales because of legal restrictions, a number of youths, some aged just 12, had approached her to supply them with lenses to sell. 'They are completely unaware of current affairs and news,' she said.
A board spokesman said that if sellers continued their trade in contact lenses, 'enforcement action may be taken against them'.
It conceded that enforcement against the online sale of contact lenses would be 'highly challenging', since owners of websites are hard to trace, but it would issue stern warning letters to those it can trace.
It has also informed contact lens suppliers and companies to supply contact lenses only to qualified sellers, its spokesman said.
Contact lenses online controversy
This news was from a few years back, but it shows how blogshops operate outside mainstream channels and pose competitive threats to established professionals.
From: http://www.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20090210-120853.html
From: http://www.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20090210-120853.html
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Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Blogshops still evolving, still relevant
From: http://www.zdnet.com/blogshop-businesses-evolving-still-relevant-2062302265/
Blogshop businesses evolving, still relevant
Summary: Originally hosted on free blog sites, blogshops now becoming regular online stores while retaining more personal customer relationships and here to stay, experts say.
The business model of blogshops is changing to resemble that of online stores and a sustainable one to go by, according to industry experts, who note these businesses exude greater professionalism yet maintain their niche in developing intimate customer relationships. Consumers, however, remain mixed toward online shopping.
As the blogshop industry matures, blogshops are also becoming more professional with a shift to dot-com Web sites, Leonard Tan, CEO of PurpleClick Media told ZDNet Asia in an e-mail. They now also offer standardized payment modes and clearly state terms and conditions.
Elaborating, Freda Kwok, senior consultant of BluGrapes, noted that many blogshops are migrating from free hosted Web log sites to a "full dot-com Web site" as a result of a large customer base and a growing volume of transactions, which require a more sophisticated navigational portal and greater backend support in terms of order processing, inventory and logistics.
In addition, these e-tailers are also hiring "relatively high-profile models" who are well-known in the "blogosphere" and moving away from bulk purchasing from suppliers to in-house design and manufacturing in order to carry their own brand and labels, she said in her e-mail.
"Although [high-profile] models are pricier and more costly to feature, they lend a hand toward sealing the status of the blogshop as a coveted brand," Kwok pointed out.
"There was a period where customers grew weary of seeing similar designs across the various blogshops. By having their own designs, blogshops [can] seal their particular fashion style attracting like-minded repeat and loyal customers."
Love & Bravery, for one, does not consider itself a blogshop because it no longer operates from a blog.
"We buy and pay a significant cost for server space to set ourselves apart from fly-by-night blogshops," owner Eunyce Yap told ZDNet Asia in an e-mail. "Our site is kept simple [in terms of] layout and we are careful not to clutter it with promotions that are so common on other sites."
Blog structure limiting
When quizzed on the definition of blogshops, Kwok explained that they used to be online shopping sites that operated out of free blog services such as Blogspot and LiveJournal. These storefronts started in 2007 and "hit [their] high point" between 2009 and 2010. As they lack a "shopping cart" system, they utilized the comment capabilities of blog services for orders.
When quizzed on the definition of blogshops, Kwok explained that they used to be online shopping sites that operated out of free blog services such as Blogspot and LiveJournal. These storefronts started in 2007 and "hit [their] high point" between 2009 and 2010. As they lack a "shopping cart" system, they utilized the comment capabilities of blog services for orders.
Tan added that these blogshops had low barriers to entry with "hassle-free setup" and minimum development costs. They were also associated with flexible payment options not restricted to online payment systems, and higher business risk with less security for buyers and sellers. Issues such as hacking incidents or business cheats could arise, he noted.
Their views echo the business values of blogshop Her Velvet Vase, which owners say it has evolved to adopt features of both a regular online store and a blogshop. "We have the efficiencies of a fully comprehensive online catalogue and online shopping cart system, yet retain the personable service of a blogshop," Clare Chan and Magdalene Chan, co-owners of the store, told ZDNet Asia in an e-mail. "Our customers are able to enjoy the best of both worlds."
The sisters added that the concept of blogshops is still young but has already evolved into a competitive industry and they would be "left hanging high and dry" if they were slow to adapt or innovate, or do not have appropriate products and marketing.
Creativity, tools needed to sustain online buying
With the growing ease of online shopping with consumers more accepting of online transactions, blogshops are here to stay, Kwok of Blugrapes said. Overseas online sites such as ASOS, Go Janeand Forever 21 are already popular with the Internet-savvy crowd and similarly blogshops can appeal with uniquely manugfactured items, she added.
With the growing ease of online shopping with consumers more accepting of online transactions, blogshops are here to stay, Kwok of Blugrapes said. Overseas online sites such as ASOS, Go Janeand Forever 21 are already popular with the Internet-savvy crowd and similarly blogshops can appeal with uniquely manugfactured items, she added.
Blogshops also have an "enhanced social aspect" whereby many of them operate alongside social media platforms such as Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and even personal blogs by the owner, Kwok noted. These multiple touch points allow users to know and engage with the brandon a "more intimate" level, and hence develop a stronger sense of loyalty, she added.
Looking at consumer preferences, it also "seems" that having multiple cheaper options appeals more compared to having a few high street or branded articles, she said. "It's this regard for choice, coupled with the affordability of [blogshop items] with impressive quality at times, that will make this a sustainable business."
However, Kwok stressed that only a few existing blogshops are thriving today.
Tan added: "Sustainability would depend on how innovative and smart blogshop owners are to further fine-tune their e-store in its buying process and landing pages. "More importantly, [they need] an in-depth understanding of driving targeted traffic to their sites using analytics and optimization tools to analyze visitor behavior and enhance conversions."
Tan advised that online channels and tools should be completely understood and utilized to complement each other, from online pull advertising, online push advertising, search engine optimization (SEO) and e-mail advertising to social media.
Consumers ZDNet Asia spoke to, expressed mixed reactions on whether they enjoyed their shopping experience with blogshops, despite the evolution of the blogshop business model.
Entrepreneur Lee May Ling noted that she still experienced purchases that looked different from what had been presented on the Web site and "what [she] saw was not what she had".
Lim Pei Qian, an account manager concurred, noting that the clothes often do not fit well on her petite frame, given that the models used by blogshops are tall.
Others had beef with the quality, range and purchasing process. Model Shn Juay, for one, commented that the fabric used for apparel she buys off blogshops is "lousy".
Tiffany Low, a graduate from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, described herself as a consumer who is "always looking for new and adventurous styles to try". She said it was disappointing that blogshops generally offered "safer choices [which] appealed [only] to the mass market" and hence "lack creativity and exclusivity".
Regular shopper Lim May-Ann added that there was "no regulated manner" when it came to placing orders even with those who had shopping cart systems. "Consumers still often pay through Internet banking before the item will be sent out," she said. "[They are] absorbing all the risk and must pay extra for registered mail if they want the item [to be] 'accounted' for."
On the other hand, media producer Melissa Yuen revealed that she enjoys shopping with blogshops because she could avoid "battling the crowds in malls" and she "can shop anytime, anywhere".
Research officer Joy Lim added that some blogshops have talented individuals who design their own clothes and shoes, and therefore have an edge over physical shop brands, which tend to mass produce. "If more capable designers start online stores with apparel far more attractive than the mainstream ones, more [of us] will definitely choose to go to blogshops more," she said.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Multiply Indonesia Expands Further into Indonesia
Multiply is to online selling what LiveJournal has been to blogshopping in Singapore. This is a mirror article to the one a few weeks back about how re-purposed social selling has changed LiveJournal. SO now we see how social media platform providers are beginning to respond to the blogshopping phenomenon which is now arguably fueling growth of these social media sites.
As they recognize the significance of this industry, they are starting to take steps to develop these platforms into social commere structures. What this presents to blogshop owners is that it offers an option for them for growth and legitimacy. Whereas previously blogshops had to convert to shopping carts to gain acceptance, they now can remain hosted on these sites while gaining a measure of recognition as e-commerce destinations as more proper selling tools like shopping carts and payment facilities are enabled. Thus it is possible for blogshops to now be permanently hosted on social sites like this.
From: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/bisindonesia/multiply-indonesia-eyes-more-expansion-in-indonesia/441732
After establishing itself in Indonesia earlier this year, one of the world’s largest social networking sites wants to expand its workforce by four times and bring 100,000 local merchants into the site by the end of this year.
Multiply, which combines social networking and an online marketplace, has about 2 million active users in Indonesia and more than 35,000 merchants on its site. It brings in about 20 million unique visitors each month, about 7 million of which come from Indonesia.
“We just released Multiply Commerce on May 10, and within a week there were already 1,000 transactions happening through our payment gateway,” Daniel Tumiwa, the country manager for Multiply Indonesia, said on the sidelines of the Multiply Commerce launch on Wednesday.
“This year is the time for online transactions to take off in Indonesia,” he said. “On average, we have about 2,000 new merchants every month who upload about 50,000 new products per month.”
Multiply, launched in August 2004, was started as a social networking site for families and friends before Facebook existed.
Once users began utilizing the site to sell their products online, though, it decided to expand into an online marketplace. In September last year, the Myriad International Holdings unit of Naspers Limited acquired a controlling interest in Multiply.
It established a subsidiary in Indonesia last March and currently employs 37 people. The company plans to move to a large office in South Jakarta next week, in line with its plan to hire 150 employees by the end of this year.
Peter Pezaris, co-founder and chief executive of Multiply, visited Jakarta in February and said the US company was committed to make Indonesia its anchor market.
“By next year, Indonesia will be our biggest office, even bigger than the one in the US,” Pezaris said. Multiply’s office in Jakarta is its third after the US and the Philippines.
According to Daniel, more than 90 percent of the transactions in the site took place offline.
“I don’t know exactly how many transactions happened so far, but based on our internal survey, the average value per transaction is about Rp 150,000 [$17.50],” he said.
“One of the keys of ecommerce is trust and recommendations,” said Andy W. Djiwandono, vice president for marketing and business development at Multiply Indonesia. “That is why we established ‘trusted seller.’ ”
Although users can register as members for free, the company provides several options for premium accounts.
“At first I was selling stuff in Multiply just for fun. Within a short period of time, my business grew and now I am more serious about selling baby products and eco-friendly products,” said Anita, one of Multiply’s sellers who joined the site about two years ago.
Most of the sellers on the site, Daniel said, are women and people trying to earn extra income despite already working full-time jobs.
Multiply’s revenue streams come from advertising, premium memberships and commissions for each transaction completed through its payment gateway.
“We charge 3.9 percent for every transaction that is using our shopping cart,” Daniel said, adding that the most popular payment system was KlikBCA.
The site also supports other bank transactions and credit card payments through PayPal.
Another article:
Blogshopping is HUGE in Indonesia, although it is not called blogshopping.
Social shopping site Multiply has announced plans to relocate its global headquarters from Boca Raton, Florida, to Jakarta, Indonesia, according to a report from Daily Social.
The move is a rare example of a company choosing an emerging market over the US, as it is typically made the other way round, but there is much sense to the reshuffle which will bring the company closer to the majority of its users.
The service, which is reportedly the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia, has “more than 100,000 online merchants across the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam”, and CEO Peter Pezaris explains that the move is driven by increased opportunities:
In addition to the move, which was announced on location in Indonesia, Multiply is giving a nice perk to customers by waiving all shipping cost and transaction fees until March. It also has news for Indonesia, where it is expanding payment options to allow XL Tunai customers to make transactions via mobile operator XL Axiata, and Prima ATMs are also supported.
The company is not shy on making bold moves and it actually began life as a photo sharing social network which rivalled Facebook and others.
On noticing that its personal pages feature were increasingly being used to build online shops, it revamped its offering with the introduction Multiply Marketplace and moved down a completely new avenue as a social shopping service.
It has placed significant emphasis on Indonesia in the past and it ran the beta version of Multiply 5.0 exclusively in the country, before a wider pilot in Southeast Asia preceded the global launch of the enhanced platform in June 2010.
In spite of its pivot, Multiply’s photo sharing service still remains popular and, according to the company, it is the second largest social network in Southeast Asia — behind Facebook, of course — while it has “millions of additional users” in the US, Brazil and India.
The relocation of Multiply’s global office will be completed over the next 12 months, during which a number of personnel and positions will be relocated to Indonesia, the company said.
Image credit: Shutterstock user Russ Beinder
Yet another article on Multiply:
As they recognize the significance of this industry, they are starting to take steps to develop these platforms into social commere structures. What this presents to blogshop owners is that it offers an option for them for growth and legitimacy. Whereas previously blogshops had to convert to shopping carts to gain acceptance, they now can remain hosted on these sites while gaining a measure of recognition as e-commerce destinations as more proper selling tools like shopping carts and payment facilities are enabled. Thus it is possible for blogshops to now be permanently hosted on social sites like this.
From: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/bisindonesia/multiply-indonesia-eyes-more-expansion-in-indonesia/441732
After establishing itself in Indonesia earlier this year, one of the world’s largest social networking sites wants to expand its workforce by four times and bring 100,000 local merchants into the site by the end of this year.
Multiply, which combines social networking and an online marketplace, has about 2 million active users in Indonesia and more than 35,000 merchants on its site. It brings in about 20 million unique visitors each month, about 7 million of which come from Indonesia.
“We just released Multiply Commerce on May 10, and within a week there were already 1,000 transactions happening through our payment gateway,” Daniel Tumiwa, the country manager for Multiply Indonesia, said on the sidelines of the Multiply Commerce launch on Wednesday.
“This year is the time for online transactions to take off in Indonesia,” he said. “On average, we have about 2,000 new merchants every month who upload about 50,000 new products per month.”
Multiply, launched in August 2004, was started as a social networking site for families and friends before Facebook existed.
Once users began utilizing the site to sell their products online, though, it decided to expand into an online marketplace. In September last year, the Myriad International Holdings unit of Naspers Limited acquired a controlling interest in Multiply.
It established a subsidiary in Indonesia last March and currently employs 37 people. The company plans to move to a large office in South Jakarta next week, in line with its plan to hire 150 employees by the end of this year.
Peter Pezaris, co-founder and chief executive of Multiply, visited Jakarta in February and said the US company was committed to make Indonesia its anchor market.
“By next year, Indonesia will be our biggest office, even bigger than the one in the US,” Pezaris said. Multiply’s office in Jakarta is its third after the US and the Philippines.
According to Daniel, more than 90 percent of the transactions in the site took place offline.
“I don’t know exactly how many transactions happened so far, but based on our internal survey, the average value per transaction is about Rp 150,000 [$17.50],” he said.
“One of the keys of ecommerce is trust and recommendations,” said Andy W. Djiwandono, vice president for marketing and business development at Multiply Indonesia. “That is why we established ‘trusted seller.’ ”
Although users can register as members for free, the company provides several options for premium accounts.
“At first I was selling stuff in Multiply just for fun. Within a short period of time, my business grew and now I am more serious about selling baby products and eco-friendly products,” said Anita, one of Multiply’s sellers who joined the site about two years ago.
Most of the sellers on the site, Daniel said, are women and people trying to earn extra income despite already working full-time jobs.
Multiply’s revenue streams come from advertising, premium memberships and commissions for each transaction completed through its payment gateway.
“We charge 3.9 percent for every transaction that is using our shopping cart,” Daniel said, adding that the most popular payment system was KlikBCA.
The site also supports other bank transactions and credit card payments through PayPal.
Another article:
Blogshopping is HUGE in Indonesia, although it is not called blogshopping.
Social shopping site Multiply to relocate its global headquarters to Indonesia
29th January 2012 by Jon Russell Social shopping site Multiply has announced plans to relocate its global headquarters from Boca Raton, Florida, to Jakarta, Indonesia, according to a report from Daily Social.
The move is a rare example of a company choosing an emerging market over the US, as it is typically made the other way round, but there is much sense to the reshuffle which will bring the company closer to the majority of its users.
The service, which is reportedly the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia, has “more than 100,000 online merchants across the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam”, and CEO Peter Pezaris explains that the move is driven by increased opportunities:
We chose Jakarta because the opportunity is so large. It’s such a fast growing economy. So many people are using Multiply in Indonesia, it’s such an important market for us.Multiple is not new to Southeast Asia and its existing Jakarta office houses more than 50 of its 126 global staff, while it also has a presence in the Philippines. Indonesia is its largest market, as it told the Jakarta Globe, and statistics from last year showed it drew 7 million monthly visitors to its 34,000 Indonesian sellers. These number are now likely to be significantly higher, particularly given that the company saw 2,000 new sellers from Indonesia joining each month.
In addition to the move, which was announced on location in Indonesia, Multiply is giving a nice perk to customers by waiving all shipping cost and transaction fees until March. It also has news for Indonesia, where it is expanding payment options to allow XL Tunai customers to make transactions via mobile operator XL Axiata, and Prima ATMs are also supported.
The company is not shy on making bold moves and it actually began life as a photo sharing social network which rivalled Facebook and others.
On noticing that its personal pages feature were increasingly being used to build online shops, it revamped its offering with the introduction Multiply Marketplace and moved down a completely new avenue as a social shopping service.
It has placed significant emphasis on Indonesia in the past and it ran the beta version of Multiply 5.0 exclusively in the country, before a wider pilot in Southeast Asia preceded the global launch of the enhanced platform in June 2010.
In spite of its pivot, Multiply’s photo sharing service still remains popular and, according to the company, it is the second largest social network in Southeast Asia — behind Facebook, of course — while it has “millions of additional users” in the US, Brazil and India.
The relocation of Multiply’s global office will be completed over the next 12 months, during which a number of personnel and positions will be relocated to Indonesia, the company said.
Image credit: Shutterstock user Russ Beinder
Yet another article on Multiply:
What started as a social networking platform for photo and video sharing has evolved into a social shopping site that connects the sellers in a virtual world with eager spenders. Multiply 5.0, the photo-sharing social network turned robust e-commerce platform, is currently in the works and is being tested in Indonesia.
The beta version of Multiply 5.0 is initially available at Indonesia.multiply.com and according to the Multiply blog, the new platform will integrate an e-commerce catalog store, shopping cart and payment system designed to simplify the process not only for buyers but inventory and order management for sellers as well. Multiply’s high-resolution photo upload facility will still be present.
There is still no official date when Multiply 5.0 will be released to the public, but Multiply Indonesia will put the various facilities and features in the new version to the test in the real world.
Multiply recently expanded in Jakarta, Indonesia, which is expected to be the second largest office after its main headquarters in Florida, USA. Multiply Indonesia has 34,000 sellers network (with 2,000 new sellers every month) and is being graced by 7 million visitors each month.
The beta version of Multiply 5.0 is initially available at Indonesia.multiply.com and according to the Multiply blog, the new platform will integrate an e-commerce catalog store, shopping cart and payment system designed to simplify the process not only for buyers but inventory and order management for sellers as well. Multiply’s high-resolution photo upload facility will still be present.
Multiply recently expanded in Jakarta, Indonesia, which is expected to be the second largest office after its main headquarters in Florida, USA. Multiply Indonesia has 34,000 sellers network (with 2,000 new sellers every month) and is being graced by 7 million visitors each month.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Blogshop Supplier Singapore
A former blogshop owner spills the beans on suppliers (or was this a stunt?).
Note that the signals for legitimacy are:
- the look of the suppliers' websites, ie PROFESSIONALITY
- dotcom address, ie PLATFORM CREDIBILITY
- response reliability, ie CONDUCT
- contact information, ie DISCLOSURE
From: http://www.zimbio.com/member/queenblogshop1/articles/vwyp88vfK61/Blogshop+Supplier+Singapore
Note that the signals for legitimacy are:
- the look of the suppliers' websites, ie PROFESSIONALITY
- dotcom address, ie PLATFORM CREDIBILITY
- response reliability, ie CONDUCT
- contact information, ie DISCLOSURE
From: http://www.zimbio.com/member/queenblogshop1/articles/vwyp88vfK61/Blogshop+Supplier+Singapore
Blogshop Supplier Singapore
In blogshop industry, a key success secret is suppliers. Blogshop owners hold this information sacred becuz if their Singapore blogshop supplier are discovered, customers can then buy directly from them.
Running a blogshop is the best way to make money online! The main problem in starting a new blogshop is finding the perfect blogshop supplier in Singapore. The blogshop supplier must supply blogshop items low cost enough for you to make a good profit, yet the stock quality must be good enough. They must also be reliable and not scam your money. An excellent tip is to see how well they design their website, how much effort and time they spend to make their webpage look professional. They must also have a .com web address and not afraid of answering your questions with emails and contact information. If the blogshop supplier cannot do all these, DO NOT buy from them!
Let me tell you a crazy secret: www.blogshopsupplier.com is the best blogshop supplier you can get! I am releasing this important info because I have stopped doing my blogshop which earned me $15,000 monthly normally.
Blogshop Supplier .com was my main supplier as they gave me the latest designs from Taiwan/Korea/Japan/HK at the best prices around, and has a low minimum ordering quantity of 15 in total, and also free import shipping. The owner Lilly is soooo nice and I love how she work so closely with me. This is the best best best deal I can find in Singapore, and trust me I spend so much time searching Singapore and even Malaysia for blogshop supplier and finally found Lilly's Blogshopsupplier.com. OMG i was so happy!
When I first started I had all sorts of problems with my suppliers! Those people from C*** P**** were mean, charged high, must take all sizes and have to order minimum 300 pieces from them! This is crazy for new blogshop owners. They only cater big blogshops who can afford to buy in large quantities. No new blogshop can start like this! Other blogshop suppliers were not reliable.
So I strongly really recommend Blogshop Supplier.com to you, they are really the best supplier that will help your blogshop launch and grow, just like mine. I have done it, and so can you!The author is an experienced blogshop owner who has started her own blogshop and grew it to become one of the most successful blogshops in Singapore, earning on average $15,000 each month. She has retired from the blogshop business and now owns her own fashion retail outlets all over the world.
Running a blogshop is the best way to make money online! The main problem in starting a new blogshop is finding the perfect blogshop supplier in Singapore. The blogshop supplier must supply blogshop items low cost enough for you to make a good profit, yet the stock quality must be good enough. They must also be reliable and not scam your money. An excellent tip is to see how well they design their website, how much effort and time they spend to make their webpage look professional. They must also have a .com web address and not afraid of answering your questions with emails and contact information. If the blogshop supplier cannot do all these, DO NOT buy from them!
Let me tell you a crazy secret: www.blogshopsupplier.com is the best blogshop supplier you can get! I am releasing this important info because I have stopped doing my blogshop which earned me $15,000 monthly normally.
Blogshop Supplier .com was my main supplier as they gave me the latest designs from Taiwan/Korea/Japan/HK at the best prices around, and has a low minimum ordering quantity of 15 in total, and also free import shipping. The owner Lilly is soooo nice and I love how she work so closely with me. This is the best best best deal I can find in Singapore, and trust me I spend so much time searching Singapore and even Malaysia for blogshop supplier and finally found Lilly's Blogshopsupplier.com. OMG i was so happy!
When I first started I had all sorts of problems with my suppliers! Those people from C*** P**** were mean, charged high, must take all sizes and have to order minimum 300 pieces from them! This is crazy for new blogshop owners. They only cater big blogshops who can afford to buy in large quantities. No new blogshop can start like this! Other blogshop suppliers were not reliable.
So I strongly really recommend Blogshop Supplier.com to you, they are really the best supplier that will help your blogshop launch and grow, just like mine. I have done it, and so can you!The author is an experienced blogshop owner who has started her own blogshop and grew it to become one of the most successful blogshops in Singapore, earning on average $15,000 each month. She has retired from the blogshop business and now owns her own fashion retail outlets all over the world.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Blogshops in trouble after contact lenses seized
Another instance of blogshops exhibiting legitmacy issues.
From: http://www.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20111030-307798.html
From: http://www.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20111030-307798.html
| Blogshops in trouble after contact lenses seized | |||
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| SINGAPORE - If you are thinking of buying contact lenses from blogshops or making a quick buck selling them online, think again. You may end up losing your money, as it is illegal to import contact lenses without a license and such lenses will be confiscated by the authorities if discovered. The Straits Times (ST) reported that at least three teenage blogshop owners have had their contact lenses seized by Custom officers and are now facing irate customers demanding their money back.
Since August last year, more than 1,600 pairs of contact lenses have been seized from four unlicensed importers. One of the distributors, 17-year-old Jenny, told ST that she set up an online shop selling iris-enlarging contact lenses from South Korea and participated in a mass order with 10 other blogshops in August. Each ordered around 50 pairs of lenses. All the lenses were confiscated by the authorities and now Jenny is unable to get back her money back to refund her customers, who paid her in advance. They are now threatening to make a police report against her. She admitted that she knew what she was doing was illegal, but went ahead because of the draw of making easy money. Previously, she had placed three similar orders successfully, earning about $300 each time. She bought the lenses for $5 per pair, and sold them for $15. Although those involved have yet to be prosecuted, blogshop owners found guilty of illegally importing contact lenses can be fined up to $50,000 and jailed for two years. For the buyers of such lenses, Ms Irish Ng, who runs online scam alert site safeblogshopper.com, told ST that as buying lenses online is illegal in the first place, it is hard for customers to get their money back if they do not get what they paid for. In Singapore, an eye examination by a registered optometrist or optician is required before a user can be fitted with contact lenses. There have been documented cases of the usage of illegally obtained contact lenses leading to eye complications and even blindness. HSA said that it has been stepping up its checks following a recent spate of cases involving counterfeit contact lenses. | |||
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Blogshop businesses evolving, still relevant
This article focuses on the LEGITIMACY of blogshop businesses:
from:http://www.zdnetasia.com/blogshop-businesses-evolving-still-relevant-62302265.htm
Blogshop businesses evolving, still relevant
Summary
Originally hosted on free blog sites, blogshops now becoming regular online stores while retaining more personal customer relationships and here to stay, experts say.Topics
internet, leonard tan, zdnet.com, media, online shopping, science and technology, shopping, technology, freda kwok, arts, entertainment, and media
The business model of blogshops is
changing to resemble that of online stores and a sustainable one to go
by, according to industry experts, who note these businesses exude
greater professionalism yet maintain their niche in developing intimate
customer relationships. Consumers, however, remain mixed toward online
shopping.
As the blogshop industry matures, blogshops are also becoming more professional with a shift to dot-com Web sites, Leonard Tan, CEO of PurpleClick Media told ZDNet Asia in an e-mail. They now also offer standardized payment modes and clearly state terms and conditions.
Elaborating, Freda Kwok, senior consultant of BluGrapes, noted that many blogshops are migrating from free hosted Web log sites to a "full dot-com Web site" as a result of a large customer base and a growing volume of transactions, which require a more sophisticated navigational portal and greater backend support in terms of order processing, inventory and logistics.
In addition, these e-tailers are also hiring "relatively high-profile models" who are well-known in the "blogosphere" and moving away from bulk purchasing from suppliers to in-house design and manufacturing in order to carry their own brand and labels, she said in her e-mail.
"Although [high-profile] models are pricier and more costly to feature, they lend a hand toward sealing the status of the blogshop as a coveted brand," Kwok pointed out.
"There was a period where customers grew weary of seeing similar designs across the various blogshops. By having their own designs, blogshops [can] seal their particular fashion style attracting like-minded repeat and loyal customers."
Love & Bravery, for one, does not consider itself a blogshop because it no longer operates from a blog.
"We buy and pay a significant cost for server space to set ourselves apart from fly-by-night blogshops," owner Eunyce Yap told ZDNet Asia in an e-mail. "Our site is kept simple [in terms of] layout and we are careful not to clutter it with promotions that are so common on other sites."
Blog structure limiting
When quizzed on the definition of blogshops, Kwok explained that they used to be online shopping sites that operated out of free blog services such as Blogspot and LiveJournal. These storefronts started in 2007 and "hit [their] high point" between 2009 and 2010. As they lack a "shopping cart" system, they utilized the comment capabilities of blog services for orders.
Tan added that these blogshops had low barriers to entry with "hassle-free setup" and minimum development costs. They were also associated with flexible payment options not restricted to online payment systems, and higher business risk with less security for buyers and sellers. Issues such as hacking incidents or business cheats could arise, he noted.
Their views echo the business values of blogshop Her Velvet Vase, which owners say it has evolved to adopt features of both a regular online store and a blogshop. "We have the efficiencies of a fully comprehensive online catalogue and online shopping cart system, yet retain the personable service of a blogshop," Clare Chan and Magdalene Chan, co-owners of the store, told ZDNet Asia in an e-mail. "Our customers are able to enjoy the best of both worlds."
The sisters added that the concept of blogshops is still young but has already evolved into a competitive industry and they would be "left hanging high and dry" if they were slow to adapt or innovate, or do not have appropriate products and marketing.
Creativity, tools needed to sustain online buying
With the growing ease of online shopping with consumers more accepting of online transactions, blogshops are here to stay, Kwok of Blugrapes said. Overseas online sites such as ASOS, Go Jane and Forever 21 are already popular with the Internet-savvy crowd and similarly blogshops can appeal with uniquely manugfactured items, she added.
Blogshops also have an "enhanced social aspect" whereby many of them operate alongside social media platforms such as Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and even personal blogs by the owner, Kwok noted. These multiple touch points allow users to know and engage with the brand on a "more intimate" level, and hence develop a stronger sense of loyalty, she added.
Looking at consumer preferences, it also "seems" that having multiple cheaper options appeals more compared to having a few high street or branded articles, she said. "It's this regard for choice, coupled with the affordability of [blogshop items] with impressive quality at times, that will make this a sustainable business."
However, Kwok stressed that only a few existing blogshops are thriving today.
Tan added: "Sustainability would depend on how innovative and smart blogshop owners are to further fine-tune their e-store in its buying process and landing pages. "More importantly, [they need] an in-depth understanding of driving targeted traffic to their sites using analytics and optimization tools to analyze visitor behavior and enhance conversions."
Tan advised that online channels and tools should be completely understood and utilized to complement each other, from online pull advertising, online push advertising, search engine optimization (SEO) and e-mail advertising to social media.
Consumers ZDNet Asia spoke to, expressed mixed reactions on whether they enjoyed their shopping experience with blogshops, despite the evolution of the blogshop business model.
Entrepreneur Lee May Ling noted that she still experienced purchases that looked different from what had been presented on the Web site and "what [she] saw was not what she had".
Lim Pei Qian, an account manager concurred, noting that the clothes often do not fit well on her petite frame, given that the models used by blogshops are tall.
Others had beef with the quality, range and purchasing process. Model Shn Juay, for one, commented that the fabric used for apparel she buys off blogshops is "lousy".
Tiffany Low, a graduate from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, described herself as a consumer who is "always looking for new and adventurous styles to try". She said it was disappointing that blogshops generally offered "safer choices [which] appealed [only] to the mass market" and hence "lack creativity and exclusivity".
Regular shopper Lim May-Ann added that there was "no regulated manner" when it came to placing orders even with those who had shopping cart systems. "Consumers still often pay through Internet banking before the item will be sent out," she said. "[They are] absorbing all the risk and must pay extra for registered mail if they want the item [to be] 'accounted' for."
On the other hand, media producer Melissa Yuen revealed that she enjoys shopping with blogshops because she could avoid "battling the crowds in malls" and she "can shop anytime, anywhere".
Research officer Joy Lim added that some blogshops have talented individuals who design their own clothes and shoes, and therefore have an edge over physical shop brands, which tend to mass produce. "If more capable designers start online stores with apparel far more attractive than the mainstream ones, more [of us] will definitely choose to go to blogshops more," she said.
As the blogshop industry matures, blogshops are also becoming more professional with a shift to dot-com Web sites, Leonard Tan, CEO of PurpleClick Media told ZDNet Asia in an e-mail. They now also offer standardized payment modes and clearly state terms and conditions.
Elaborating, Freda Kwok, senior consultant of BluGrapes, noted that many blogshops are migrating from free hosted Web log sites to a "full dot-com Web site" as a result of a large customer base and a growing volume of transactions, which require a more sophisticated navigational portal and greater backend support in terms of order processing, inventory and logistics.
In addition, these e-tailers are also hiring "relatively high-profile models" who are well-known in the "blogosphere" and moving away from bulk purchasing from suppliers to in-house design and manufacturing in order to carry their own brand and labels, she said in her e-mail.
"Although [high-profile] models are pricier and more costly to feature, they lend a hand toward sealing the status of the blogshop as a coveted brand," Kwok pointed out.
"There was a period where customers grew weary of seeing similar designs across the various blogshops. By having their own designs, blogshops [can] seal their particular fashion style attracting like-minded repeat and loyal customers."
Love & Bravery, for one, does not consider itself a blogshop because it no longer operates from a blog.
"We buy and pay a significant cost for server space to set ourselves apart from fly-by-night blogshops," owner Eunyce Yap told ZDNet Asia in an e-mail. "Our site is kept simple [in terms of] layout and we are careful not to clutter it with promotions that are so common on other sites."
Blog structure limiting
When quizzed on the definition of blogshops, Kwok explained that they used to be online shopping sites that operated out of free blog services such as Blogspot and LiveJournal. These storefronts started in 2007 and "hit [their] high point" between 2009 and 2010. As they lack a "shopping cart" system, they utilized the comment capabilities of blog services for orders.
Tan added that these blogshops had low barriers to entry with "hassle-free setup" and minimum development costs. They were also associated with flexible payment options not restricted to online payment systems, and higher business risk with less security for buyers and sellers. Issues such as hacking incidents or business cheats could arise, he noted.
Their views echo the business values of blogshop Her Velvet Vase, which owners say it has evolved to adopt features of both a regular online store and a blogshop. "We have the efficiencies of a fully comprehensive online catalogue and online shopping cart system, yet retain the personable service of a blogshop," Clare Chan and Magdalene Chan, co-owners of the store, told ZDNet Asia in an e-mail. "Our customers are able to enjoy the best of both worlds."
The sisters added that the concept of blogshops is still young but has already evolved into a competitive industry and they would be "left hanging high and dry" if they were slow to adapt or innovate, or do not have appropriate products and marketing.
Creativity, tools needed to sustain online buying
With the growing ease of online shopping with consumers more accepting of online transactions, blogshops are here to stay, Kwok of Blugrapes said. Overseas online sites such as ASOS, Go Jane and Forever 21 are already popular with the Internet-savvy crowd and similarly blogshops can appeal with uniquely manugfactured items, she added.
Blogshops also have an "enhanced social aspect" whereby many of them operate alongside social media platforms such as Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and even personal blogs by the owner, Kwok noted. These multiple touch points allow users to know and engage with the brand on a "more intimate" level, and hence develop a stronger sense of loyalty, she added.
Looking at consumer preferences, it also "seems" that having multiple cheaper options appeals more compared to having a few high street or branded articles, she said. "It's this regard for choice, coupled with the affordability of [blogshop items] with impressive quality at times, that will make this a sustainable business."
However, Kwok stressed that only a few existing blogshops are thriving today.
Tan added: "Sustainability would depend on how innovative and smart blogshop owners are to further fine-tune their e-store in its buying process and landing pages. "More importantly, [they need] an in-depth understanding of driving targeted traffic to their sites using analytics and optimization tools to analyze visitor behavior and enhance conversions."
Tan advised that online channels and tools should be completely understood and utilized to complement each other, from online pull advertising, online push advertising, search engine optimization (SEO) and e-mail advertising to social media.
Consumers ZDNet Asia spoke to, expressed mixed reactions on whether they enjoyed their shopping experience with blogshops, despite the evolution of the blogshop business model.
Entrepreneur Lee May Ling noted that she still experienced purchases that looked different from what had been presented on the Web site and "what [she] saw was not what she had".
Lim Pei Qian, an account manager concurred, noting that the clothes often do not fit well on her petite frame, given that the models used by blogshops are tall.
Others had beef with the quality, range and purchasing process. Model Shn Juay, for one, commented that the fabric used for apparel she buys off blogshops is "lousy".
Tiffany Low, a graduate from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, described herself as a consumer who is "always looking for new and adventurous styles to try". She said it was disappointing that blogshops generally offered "safer choices [which] appealed [only] to the mass market" and hence "lack creativity and exclusivity".
Regular shopper Lim May-Ann added that there was "no regulated manner" when it came to placing orders even with those who had shopping cart systems. "Consumers still often pay through Internet banking before the item will be sent out," she said. "[They are] absorbing all the risk and must pay extra for registered mail if they want the item [to be] 'accounted' for."
On the other hand, media producer Melissa Yuen revealed that she enjoys shopping with blogshops because she could avoid "battling the crowds in malls" and she "can shop anytime, anywhere".
Research officer Joy Lim added that some blogshops have talented individuals who design their own clothes and shoes, and therefore have an edge over physical shop brands, which tend to mass produce. "If more capable designers start online stores with apparel far more attractive than the mainstream ones, more [of us] will definitely choose to go to blogshops more," she said.
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