I do a lot of my shopping online, mainly because its easy. I don’t always have the time to go out and about, trawling the malls, fighting for parking spaces etc so I like to take the easy way out and go online when I know what I want. Part of the reason is also because I like exploring niche brands or products we sometimes can’t find locally.
Last weekend, I came across a good deal for something I wanted at an online store that proudly stated right on the main header that they offered “Free Shipping Worldwide”. I love it when stores offer international shipping. I love it even more when its free international shipping!
So as I do, I checked the Delivery terms to see where they shipped to and there was no list. There was a statement that said “Rest of the world – free” in relation to shipping costs. “Rest of the world” = me here in Malaysia! Worldwide = me here in Malaysia! All was good!
And then I came onto my pet peeve – misleading shipping information.
I spent hours picking out what I wanted, placed them all in my shopping bag, checked out and then, looked in vain for “Malaysia” in the drop down country box when inputting my address. It wasn’t there. Usually, we slide in somewhere after Malawi. I checked and double checked, but apparently, Malaysia isn’t a part of the world as far as this site was concerned. Yemen and Kuwait was though. They shipped there. Odd, but there you go.
I emailed customer service and received a standard reply that they do not ship to Malaysia “for now” and that I should check back in future. Seriously? Then shouldn’t they say “Free Shipping to Selected countries worldwide” and actually list down the countries they ship to, not drop the bombshell on me at check out?
So that’s my pet peeve when I’m shopping online. Coming across a website that promises to ship worldwide and then finding that my country isn’t in their list of countries that they ship to. That isn’t worldwide at all. Last I checked, I am still living on this same world.
What’s your online shopping pet peeve?
Paris B
If you enjoyed this post, please share the love with your friends!
[ 89 comments… read them below or join the discussion ]
Next Comments →
Same! Some obscure country will be on the dropdown list of countries they ship to but Malaysia will be nowhere in sight!! Bah!!!
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 10:19 am
Absolutely sickens me
I don’t even want to bother checking out the site anymore 
Though it’s free shipping worldwide..they do have restrictions of brands that can be shipped outside of their region eg: EU. That’s frustrating too!
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 10:20 am
That’s true too Jennelle! I wish they’d just say “selected countries” instead of “shipping worldwide” which raises my hopes then dashes them, at the checkout
Ugh — that must be so very frustrating.
I think I’m lucky that the US is generally on most International shipping list.
One of my online shopping pet peeves for skincare, in particular, is the lack of ingredients list. I can be particular about what I buy — and sometimes, I can dug up a separate ingredients list online, but generally, I’m more likely to buy a product if I can find the ingredients list on the product’s page.
And I’m not sure this can be classified as a pet peeve, since it’s just the unfortunate evil of online shopping: but return policies can be so difficult that I sometimes just use products I dislike because returning them can be such a hassle.
Ooh, I hate the ingredients thing, too. And how some sites will list ingredients for some products, but not for others.
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 10:22 am
Ah most countries would bonkers not to ship to the US!
Lucky you! I have to agree with you too about the lack of ingredients lists for skincare. Most sites don’t even list them and sometimes, you can’t even tell what the ingredients are unless you do an extensive online search and hope that someone has posted them 
Twitter: stacey_1805
May 29, 2012 at 9:22 am
that is really disappointing to really want to purchase something only to find out that it doesn’t ship here.
my major pet peeve is that most online retailers only ship within US so if I want to buy something I would need to collate more orders through a spree or buy more to enjoy economies of scale. sometimes I just want to get one item but it doesn’t make sense because international shipping costs are hefty. That’s a major turn off for me. that’s why I turn to local shopping websites because local shipping is usually free and I get *almost* instant gratification!
Twitter: rahainah
May 29, 2012 at 10:08 am
Yeah, this what happens to me also and now my part time job is to organize shopping sprees from US and UK! But I’m not complaining cos I LOOoooveee shopping!
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 1:49 pm
Haha that must be fun!
Hi Rahainah, where I can get more info about ur US and UK sprees? Avid online shopper here!
Twitter: rahainah
May 29, 2012 at 2:15 pm
I’m based in Lowyat.net and you can find my forum here : http://forum.lowyat.net/topic/2122448/
Hope to see you there!
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 10:24 am
Ah that’s true about US only shipping
I dislike it too, but have resigned myself to the fact. Apparently, its all down to their laws and fear of litigation 
They are up front about that, at least. There are a few European based sites that promise worldwide shipping and then don’t ship here. Grr…
Twitter: ChloeAsh
May 29, 2012 at 9:24 am
Ooh, I hate that too! I was in the exact situation last week. Wonder if it’s the same site.
Lily recently blogged…Oh No!! Makeup Murder!!
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 10:24 am
There are a couple based in UK/Europe – likely its the same one
Maybe u can use HopShopGo.com for websites that don’t ship internationally
Twitter: rahainah
May 29, 2012 at 10:14 am
Hmm I think their international shipping rates are expensive. I use Bongous.com and from experience, their customer service is excellent. Just have to be patience but they do get back to you promptly!
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 10:25 am
I took a look at the site, but they only deal with US shipping which might be useful. The sites I was looking at are based in Europe/UK
I’ve taken a look at a few US Shipping forwarding sites but probably will never use the services because they are still pretty pricey, and I guess I’m just not that desperate yet LOL! 
Have you used their services?
Twitter: fortheloveofme
May 29, 2012 at 9:34 am
Tell me about it! It really irks me when I see something nice on, say, Shopbop or Net-a-porter, it’s on sale and I quickly checked out just to see “this item cannot be shipped to Australia”. GAH!
Another online shopping peeve would be the usual – customer service. I expect emails to be promptly replied. Not so difficult, right? Well, you already know my issue with the name-of-the-brand-that-shall-not-be-named, and that’s just classic POOR customer service
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 1:45 pm
I think that’s sort of odd unless its a governmental thing or exclusive thing that cannot be shipped to a particular country. I don’t quite understand either way. As for customer service, yes I agree with you. Poor customer service really put me off shopping a site for good.
Yes. I encountered that too. Its very irritating to find that some items with good prices cannot be shipped to Singapore. Why?! We’re supposed to pay more than the rest of the world?!
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 10:35 pm
And I thought you guys had it good!
I agree with you. Why shouldn’t we benefit from savings too right?
I think my biggest pet peeve has to do with shipping, too. Or, well, with returns. You get the places that will give you free shipping…but then in the small print it says they’ll deduct shipping costs for BOTH ways from your refund. Or they’ll include a shipping label for convenience, but that ends up costing a lot more than it would if you’d sent it back on your own. Thankfully I’m currently in the States, so I rarely run into situations where people won’t ship to me.
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Oh yeah I’ve seen that condition too, which is why I’m loathe to buy clothes and shoes online. I’d rather pay more and buy them in store here because at least I get to try them on to see if I like them. Online shopping for clothes and shoes are just too risky IMO
Same here, I dislike it when they have to calculate your shipping rates after you check out, if they charge international shipping rate, I’d rather have them write it down on the Shipping information portion so I can check out my budget!
Oh another pet peeve, this is for local online sellers, most of them do not put the price and wants to customers to Private message them and ask for the price! arrrgghhhh!!!!
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Oh yeah… I like it when sites have a flat shipping rate or a sliding scale based on cost. At least we have an idea about shipping costs so we don’t get nasty surprises at check out. And not listing prices? That’s sort of weird! Does it mean they can charge different people different prices then?! o_O
My top one would be the one you’ve written about. To rub salt into the wound, some of them deliver to our closest neighbours – Thailand and Singapore – but not us.
My other pet peeve is sites that carry many clothing brands and have a single size chart (usually only stating the measurements for their own brands). It’s common knowledge that sizing differs brand to brand. I think they should at least link to the the size chart on the site of each brand they carry.
The third one is also linked to sizing – vanity sizing is annoying enough as it is but with physical shopping, one can at least try the clothes on. It is absolutely imperative that online sites don’t try to flatter the customer with dress sizes. There should also be sufficient information as to measurements as simply chest, waist and hips do not suffice – the length is important too. I have a lot of love for sites that state the models measurements but again ….. of course, don’t tipu la!
Finally, customer service! I can’t stress this enough! If you have a customer service chat/twitter facility and still give standard answers which I can already find on the site e.g. “please refer to the size chart on the website” then you are rendered useless. When I ask specific questions other than what is already available, I expect it to be answered.
p/s: Does this comment reveal that I’m an online shopping addict already? O.o
Twitter: rahainah
May 29, 2012 at 10:19 am
I don’t really mind if they don’t deliver to Malaysia since I’m using a Package Forwarding Services but the one thing I can’t stand is that they don’t offer Malaysia in their drop down list of countries for the Billing address and like Isabel said, “to rub salt into the wound”, they have Thailand and Singapore but not us!
Ya, why huh? I faced that one too. We are so close to both the countries.
I think it’s because we have always been a port city, since 1819, and Britain/Europe were already shipping to us from way back, when Sir Stamford Raffles founded us.
I think this one has got to do with government… … We are the center point in Asia to park and refill water/oil, so might as well bring goods over to earn some money. Our government is trying to make us a hub of everything, shipping hub, air hub, IT hub, medical hub, shopping hub, property hub, education hub…
It really depends where couriers like DHL and UPS signed deals with… Mearsk Line, the world largest shipping company has HQ in Malaysia, but the point is to stop there, and use smaller boats to bring goods to Singapore, because it is cheaper than coming to PSA. If companies has deals with Evergreen, and goes to Tanjong Pelepas, then Malaysia will probably be on the list.
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 2:04 pm
Just butting in: I think for import/export, it maybe true that it plays a part, but not for shipping from individual stores to individuals
I actually don’t mind if a store doesn’t ship to me but not if they say they ship worldwide and then don’t.
Totally agree with you, we are here in Malaysia…they seemed like treating us “alien”
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 1:50 pm
Yeah so when I do find an online store that really ships internationally and has what I want, I shop there often!
(1) Same as yours – any destinations but not Malaysia.
(2) No or wrong measurement for clothing.
(3) Availability of stock. I came across a few websites that show “Available”, after figuring out the size and colour I wanted and put into the shopping cart, it said “Not available”. Then, I clicked the item again, it shown “Available” which in fact was not available. Grrrrrrrrrrr
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 1:53 pm
Ooh #3 is so irritating! I’ve come across it once. Its worse when you want to check out and suddenly they say out of stock. Erm… but I thought I added it into my cart! Grr… Especially when you have to hit a certain amount to get free shipping, and then you have to go and look for a different item again…
Twitter: shusheshe
May 29, 2012 at 11:02 am
US-only shipping is my biggest pet peeve. There’s lots of brands I want to try, but they’re US-only. /sigh
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 1:54 pm
I’ve reconciled myself to the US only thing so finding a US site that does ship internationally always makes me happy. For the most part, many UK stores ship internationally so I then shop there instead if they have the brands/products I want!
Twitter: HannyiNefMor
May 29, 2012 at 12:24 pm
1) Malaysian blogshops selling clothes that are only “UK size 4-8″. Erm, not all women are medium-free sized dahlings.
2) Same problem as always: We don’t ship to Malaysia
like seriously? 4-8? I am 6-8, and being on the borderline is so scary. Maybe the shop owner is a skinny little girl… that’s why.
Twitter: HannyiNefMor
May 29, 2012 at 1:36 pm
Most of them do this actually. >.< It's kinda daunting.
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 1:58 pm
#1 Why I can’t shop local blogshops. Sizes are just too small and designs too weird
#2 Especially when they claim to ship “worldwide” I say, be a bit more specific, can?!
Twitter: skyiseternal
May 29, 2012 at 1:18 pm
that must have been so irritating!!! my pet peeve is when they don’t mention ingredient list for me to just check it out and give a feel like physical shopping itself.
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 1:58 pm
I guess online shopping will never be the same as actually walking into the store and seeing it for yourself but yes, making it easier for us will help tremendously!
I guess I’ve never met that same problem because Singapore is a port city, and we are always on the list of “rest of the world”.
But I just got a refund from ebay because my item came broken. And that peeved me as shipping from US takes freaking 10 days or more, so if something comes spoiled, I’d have to re-buy it from someone else and wait again.
Other than that, the only problems I face is with clothing, as clothes tend to often not be what the description says, and I end up not being able to wear it.
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 2:01 pm
For general online shopping, I don’t think the significance of the port city is as great but perhaps more of whatever potential “fraud”. We were late to get Paypal facilities and withdrawal here, because of the issues surrounding “online fraud” but we got there in the end and from what I can see, it seems to be gaining popularity
Maybe the rest of the world hasn’t caught up with that yet 
As for clothes, I can’t bring myself to buy them online. I prefer to feel, try on and gauge my clothes in real life. I may end up paying more but at least I’ll know it fits or that its something I like
I have heard that Malaysian customs can really mess with shipping (charging uber high taxes etc) so that’s why a lot of sites won’t deliver to Malaysia. I’m not sure if that is the case with Thailand as well.
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 2:06 pm
That maybe true for large orders or for import/export. Personally for my packages for personal consumption, I have not had problems with customs
I do find as well that packages that come in through the mail are more likely to be passed and its those that come in through the courier companies or EMS that may get stuck with customs 
That said, I just find it odd that Yemen would be approved over us by an online store that claims to “ship worldwide” LOL!
Totally AGREE especially if I want something from Sephora. I mean the Sephora US website has practically everything whilst Sephora France has just the basics. Unfortunately, Sephora USA ships only in the USA, why? If they wanted to have a website they should just do it universal and that all other country Sephora websites have those products right? Yes. In any case, my PP is to read reviews and reviews. I search for it the first thing. It could take a lot of time but I have to be pretty convinced if I want something.
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 8:51 pm
Haha maybe because Sephora can’t control all the mail that goes out? I would expect that if they ship worldwide they’d make big bucks! They don’t even accept international credit cards so i can’t even have it shipped to friends. Sigh.
Twitter: sdevarax
May 29, 2012 at 5:28 pm
my pet peeve- no shipping to australia or exhorbitant shipping prices that are more than the products I’m paying for! Or if they have an online shop but ‘no online shopping for the country you’re in’. Sigh.
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 10:48 pm
Oh yeah, I get that a lot as you may imagine
I have to agree with this. It’s annoying when a website claims to ship worldwide but then don’t list Malaysia as a shipping destination. I’ve read somewhere that these sites don’t ship to Malaysia due to high cases of credit card fraud. No idea how true that is. Surely we are not that bad?
Another peeve is when they do ship to Malaysia, but does not provide Malaysia in the list for billing address! How am I supposed to pay then? :/
Oh, I also don’t like geographical tagging i.e. when the same website displays different prices when opened from different places e.g. a site opened using ip from Malaysia and say, ip from UK, will display different prices. I know it’s probably their marketing strategy, but it still bugs me :/
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 10:51 pm
I have read about the fraud thing too but that was the excuse Paypal gave years ago when they didn’t want to enter our market. When they eventually did, they are now pretty popular! Since many of these online stores accept PayPal I would have thought it shouldn’t be a problem anymore. Ironically, many stores that will ship here accept our credit cards fine!
I have noticed the geo tagging too. Don’t they realize that £ usually works out more expensive than $?
Twitter: mostlysunnyblog
May 29, 2012 at 8:00 pm
Hmm that reminds me. Recently I received a coupon from an online store because I haven’t bought anything from them for a while. It was an alluring 20% off coupon, but of course they have to exclude all the brands that I could possibly want to buy from that store. Thanks but no thanks!
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 10:52 pm
Hahaha I know which store that is! Plus shipping is quite high so I don’t buy anything from there anymore
I know international shipping costs don’t always make sense, but I can’t imagine how some brands/stores get to insane numbers. To Jane Iredale, shipping to Brazil costs US$180! I don’t know if it’s the same to Malaysia.
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Wow! You’re right, that is crazy. It’s like they are so generous to ship internationally but screw you on shipping, so you’d be mad to buy from them! That way they keep their cred for shipping worldwide but due to the costs we wouldn’t buy off them anyway
I see that sometimes especially if a store uses only UPS or DHL. Their charges are really high but on the plus side, at least the service is fast and it’s relatively safe 
I have a couple though (does that mean I’m a hard-to-please-customer?).
1. Offer a coupon for $XX off $XXX, but excludes a whole bunch of brands from the coupon. And to top that off, they decided to use super teeny tiny footnote (in light gray color with a white background) to inform you about that.
2. Shipping later than promised.
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Nope, just savvy hehe… I get you peeve too. I received a voucher for x% off anything in store except well, every brand I’d want to buy! It’s so insincere.
Ditto!
It’s like “We would like to offer you some savings…but, oh wait, you can’t apply the savings to this, that and that one as well. Happy shopping!”.
The worst website i have ever encountered is ASOS.com. Firstly, they printed my address wrongly on the package (one liner was missing) and of cos the package did not reached me. After waiting for more than one month, i emailed them to ask for refund, and i was told by them that i should continue to wait. So i showed them that the invoice has reflected my address wrongly, and u know what, their customer service rep actually told me to go around my block to check if my neighbors have my missing package! Heck, there are over 100 units in my block! how am i going to check one by one?! i will NEVER EVER shopped in ASOS again!
Twitter: paris_b
May 29, 2012 at 10:57 pm
Wow! That is really bad customer service! How could they even suggest it to you?! I hope you managed to get your refund in the end? I have never bought anything from Asos only because they refuse to accept my payment through PayPal from a foreign PayPal account. I thought that was nonsensical.
Hi Paris,
Got a refund in the end after close to 2 months wait. But it was real bad experience with them. In the end, i read in some other blogs that ASOS’ shipping/ handling process can be a tab too messy and irresponsible ..i wld advised u to be careful if u want to buy from them.
Totally enjoying your blog! thankful to u for all the tips and reviews! u rock!! hahaha
Twitter: paris_b
May 30, 2012 at 2:20 pm
Glad to know you got your refund in the end, Anne. What a sucky experience it was! Thanks for sharing your experience – you help make the blog and community what it is. See ya around!
Next Comments →