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Maybank Secure Online Shopping – for peace of mind online

It’s fascinating to see how much online shopping has grown in the Philippines, from eBay to the now-defunct Multiply, to the rise of mom-and-pop online stores and international retailers that ship to the Philippines (finally!). With added competition among retailers comes the advent of the deal site, where savvy consumers can browse through discounted high-end vacations, clothes, new experiences, and gadgets. However, these deals are time-sensitive and some folks miss out on these kickass discounts because these usually require a credit card to pay. Not everyone is comfortable with paying online, with some even opting to pay in cash at payment centers even if they have credit cards. Enter Maybank’s Maybank Secure Online Shopping (MSOS).

Maybank_MSOS_FINAL

The Maybank Secure Online Shopping (MSOS) is intuitive to use and a free service for all Maybank credit cardholders. At the shopping website’s checkout page, you enter your credit card details as usual. Next, you’re taken to an authentication page where you need to enter your One-Time Password (OTP) to complete the transaction. The OTP is sent to your registered mobile phone number within 3-45 seconds and is valid for only 5 minutes. Enter the correct OTP within the allowed time frame and your shopping cart pushes through. It’s that simple! The hardest part in all this is probably waiting for your goodies to arrive šŸ˜› Aside from providing a secure online shopping experience, Maybank is also partnering with online merchants for exclusive deals in the days to come, so keep an eye out for those.

Existing Maybank credit cardholders that already receive SMS alerts are automatically enrolled in this new service. If you need to update your contact information or enroll a supplementary card, please call Maybank’s 24/7 Customer Service Hotline at +632-5883888 or PLDT Domestic Toll Free number at 1-800-10-588-3888.

 

 

DISCLAIMER: This is a sponsored post, meaning I received compensation for writing this. However, rest assured that I wouldn’t write a sponsored post for something I didn’t actually like.

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My Shopping Box versus Johnny Air Cargo – the ultimate comparison chart

Online shopping addicts in the Philippines usually have two go-to freight forwarders for their precious hauls: My Shopping Box and Johnny Air Cargo.These companies offer the same services: they accept your packages in the US then forward them to you here in the Philippines. But which company offers the better value? Let’s find out through the My Shopping Box versus Johnny Air Cargo ultimate comparison chart!

*Note: The MSB info comes from their website. The JAC info was given to me by their representative, Ms. Analyn, via email.

SERVICES AND CHARGESMy Shopping Box (MSB)
Johnny Air Cargo (JAC)
Airfreight Class 1
(Clothes, shoes, toys, books, kitchen appliances, sporting goods, etc.)		$5.99/lb$5.99/lb (Metro Manila)
$6.49/lb (Provincial)
Airfreight Class 2
(consumer electronics, costume jewelry and accessories, designer handbags, electrical spare parts, precision instruments)		$8.50/lb$6.50/lb (Metro Manila)
$7.00/lb (Provincial)
Sea freight
(all allowed products)		$2.50/lb

All fragile electrical devices packed below 30 lbs chargeable weight with additional charge of $1.25/lb based on chargeable weight.

All items >30 lbs are considered Ā“oversizedĀ”, with extra charge of 30% of the chargeable weight		none
Minimum shipping chargenone2 lbs
Extra feesnone$50 per laptop
$25 per electronic item (tablets, e-readers, mp3 player, phone)
$25 per other item worth $500 and above
Fixed fees$25 annual subscription fee$5 per shipment
ConsolidationNone. Packages are individually tagged and tracked even if they arrive on the same dayNone, unless the packages arrive at their office on the same day
Storage15 days free of charge, $0.20/lb/day afterwardsNone. Items are shipped as soon as they arrive in their office
Door-to-door deliveryIncluded in the shipping feeAdditional charge of $5-$20. Shipping fee only includes pickup at JAC branches.
Delivery time for air freight10-12 days from their California warehouse to Manila (as per MSB)

My previous order timeline:
Oct 19: arrival at MSB California warehouse
Oct 22: scanned into MSB system, authorized shipment
Oct 31: delivery to Manila address		5 to 7 days from New York office to Manila (as per JAC)

My previous order timeline:
Jan 2: arrival at JAC New Jersey office, transfer to New York office
Jan 7: shipped from JAC NY office
Jan 15: arrival in JAC Makati branch for pickup
PaymentOnline via credit card when you authorize the shipment from their warehouseCash or credit card upon pickup at JAC branch. Charges are converted at the airline rate on the day you pick it up + 12% VAT
Ongoing promos (as of November 2013)Free annual subscription when you sign up using Globe GCash American Express Virtual Pay or BDO Credit CardThe JAC website says they offer provincial door-to-door shipping for only $5 extra but Analyn didn't mention this in her email.

Another thing to remember: the per pound shipping cost refers to chargeable shipping weight. “Chargeable shipping weight” can either beĀ 1) the actual weight of the item or 2) the volumetric weight, whichever is larger. Volumetric weight is calculated using LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT (in inches) of the package Ć· 166. In short, a heavy book will likely be charged according to its actual weight while a stuffed toy will be charged according to the volumetric weight. If there’s a difference between the weight indicated in your package tracking information and the weight calculated by MBS and JAC, that’s because USPS, FedEx, and UPS usually display the actual weight of the package and not the volumetric weight.

Which company is for you? I’ve tried both companies and didn’t have any trouble with either of them, though it was only one shipment per company.Ā Just take the time to calculate at least a rough figure for the shipping cost to prevent any nasty surprises when the bill comes.