ONLINE SHOPPING DEALS, CASHBACK AND MORE WITH SHOPBACK!

Online Shopping

Ah yes the convenience of the internet!! Not only is e-shopping made cheaper, more time saving, and anything (well *almost* anything) can be purchased at the click of a button, now there are sites that provide $$$ back whenever you shop at major online retailers!! Wait... usually I only get cashback for in-person local transactions via my Mastercard? Or usually I hunt down coupons the old fashioned way for savings.

I found out about ShopBack Singapore and here is my review! As mentioned above, this is a local site that provides cashback while you are shopping online. The best thing is they include international marketplaces!

If you like shopping online I'm sure you use at least one of these:
- EBAY!! (US Ebay ftw)
- Taobao
- Aliexpress
- Fairprice online
- Groupon
- Expedia
- Zuji
- Lazada
- ASOS
- Zalora
- Uber
- Foodpanda
- Cathay Cineplex
- Agoda
- Reebonz
- Hotels.com
- Jetstar
.... just to name a few. They have hundreds more if you look under their categories.

SHORT TUTORIAL:

Simple instructions: https://www.shopback.sg/how-it-works

How to use Shopback:
- Set up a free account
- Verify your e-mail account and set up your account details.

Before shopping, remember to:
- Turn off ad-blocker if you have installed the add-on on your browser.
- Make sure your browser allows cookies: use Firefox, Safari, Chrome, Internet Explorer
- Clear the cache from your browser.

The process:
- While logged in, click on the shopping links and copy coupon codes (if any) via the Shopback site, you should read the Terms and Conditions as each vendor has different rules.
- You must shop WITHIN the new tab that has opened.
- Avoid clicking on other links after this new tab, or Shopback will not be able to track your cookies. The last link you should click is Shopback's tab.
- Shop away! Apply coupon (if any) and check out with payment.
- Wait up to 48 hours for the vendor to process. Don't panic yet if you don't see anything reflected in your account, just be patient.
- If successful, your account in Shopback should reflect the cashback under 'My Cashback'.
- They allow you to cashout for $10 and above, that's it!

Read the full info in their Help Center if you run into any problems.

Official video tutorial.

If you are unsure, make a small purchase first and wait 48 hours to check if you did it right!

HOW TO USE ON EBAY:

So the first thing I tried was Ebay. Find the Ebay's page on Shopback. Currently they offer 1% cashback.

Their terms and conditions, it doesn't apply to certain categories.

Wait for it to load and a new tab will appear.

The Ebay address should read with an affiliate link on the back. I did not purchase from "my eBay" where I saved my favourites list. Not too sure if cashback would work here (maybe it might).

Don't click on the eBay logo home button on the left, the affiliate link disappears and goes to Ebay.com which means it lost its tracking. If you did that, start over again from Shopback.

Anyhow I used the default search bar to play safe.

Ah yes...
Found the listing, checked out with payment as usual.

Nothing is reflected on my Shopback at first so I waited 2 days and there it is. I got back 37 cents, and it will be redeemable in 58 days, keep accumulating and withdraw after it hits the $10 threshold.

The extra $5 is a bonus when you sign up and make your first purchase. To receive it, check your email, they should send another email after verification to prompt you to complete your profile and account. The bonus will be credited after 48 hours.

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They have a Cashback Buddy add-on for Chrome & Safari browsers for easy access so you can tell if the cashback is activated/ available on the shopping site. I will install that.

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Just want to make a quick mention about China's equivalent of Ebay -
TAOBAO
I used to pay a local 3rd party agent who tacked on freight and commission as I couldn't set up an Alipay account, but it looks like Taobao has now allowed Singapore & Malaysia accounts so you can create your own Taobao and Alipay accounts, the site is in Chinese by the way. So I'm taking it that I get savings on commish + shipping + cashback, which is great.




Part 2 video is instruction on how to set up Alipay, even if you are not using Shopback it is still informative. I will give this a try if anything catches my eye there. The videos come in 5 parts so please view them for the complete tutorial.

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I use AliExpress for purchasing packing supplies, but this would only work for new accounts set up after 27 July 2016. Currently they are offering 5% cashback!
Click here to save with an Aliexpress coupon.

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One of the highest cashbackers would be Lazada.sg: they offer 2%-12% cashback depending on what you buy. Some of their popular products are listed on Shopback too.
You can grab a Lazada coupon here.

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Lastly, check out their site at the upcoming 99 Cashback Day launching on 1 Sept 2016 for their 2nd anniversary!

Shopaholics, give it a try! It's a smarter way to shop.

P.S. Appreciate it if you would use this referral link:
https://www.shopback.sg/?raf=yKL7mN
if you want to sign up for Shopback! You can invite your friends for similar rewards after that, thank you so much and thanks for reading!

ANTIQUE MALL HUNTS

I've visited 4 antique malls in the past week and stole some shots in the shops. Many nice things I might go back for more items just for fun. 

Redlands Galleria.

There were many nice 60s dresses but all too large for me. Prints really get me!

This is a quality Japan teacup set, with other sized saucers included. I might get it. The shape & workmanship is perfect.

Mission Galleria. They make pretty good BLT sandwiches & Caesar's salad in their cafe.

I really like the deco style artwork on these plates.

Aha! I have a set of this (design slightly different) and would have bought this as well if it wasn't chipped and smudged.

I've seen a similar lizard live in Singapore near my old workplace (near a nature reserve). This taxidermy is quite large.

Might get this painting but can't figure how to carry it in my luggage.

This exterior belongs to Treasures 'n' Junk in Ontario.

Funny.

SANRIO RETRO GASHAPON & GLOOMY BEAR

Recently I bought a few cute items while walking around the malls. Below there are some of the Sanrio retro-collections Gashapon toys which are hot right now. Love the old Sanrio from the 1970s and 80s, not so much the recent ones. I am a sucker for the old red & blue Hello Kittys due to nostalgia, the strange thing is I have zero interest in the contemporary pink Hello Kittys. It's just a change in colour but it makes a world of difference!

Anyhow I oooh-ed when I first saw this, didn't buy it the first time though might as well! It is a metal Gloomy Bear lunch box; going to store my vintage jewels in there. I collect metal tins so this is a steal at $10, saw elsewhere for about $20+

Another Gloomy bear item, a notebook by Play Imaginative - perfect size. And a rabbit one from my local stationery store. Needed one with a coil binding on top so I can rip off pages since my current notebook is just full from scribbles!

Gashapon toys, this series is Sanrio's 50th anniversary release, with all the nostalgic retro Sanrio characters - mostly defunct except for Hello Kitty. Maybe I'll share my cute Sanrio trading cards from the 80s if I can find it! Spun for my fave Tuxedo Sam and in the end got 2 Tuxedos - isn't he adorable??

Hangyodon (1984) - green character, Maron Cream (1985) - bunny, Pokopon's Diary (1986) - tanuki, Tuxedo Sam (1978) - penguin, Zashiki Buta (1983) - pig, Ichigo no Ousama (1975) - strawberry, and Hello Kitty (1976).

Another retro-inspired Sanrio Gashapon. Magnets this time. I had that awesome Hello Kitty water bottle featured on the front there, when still in primary school. If I knew it was worth something now, I'd probably stop my mom from giving it away... but then didn't know she was planning to give it away.

Yet another Sanrio retro Gashapon - I spun this last year. So happy I managed to get the pair of Little Twin Stars after 3-4 tries! Will love to get the whole collection but the machines don't carry them anymore.

THRIFT STORE SNAPSHOTS

This is one of my favourite haunts - the Salvation Army thrift store on Upper Serangoon Road. It's close to my home (used to be even closer) and it is located in an empty hospital (how cool is that!) It's really easy to find it too if you'd like to visit; it's opposite the Biddadari Cemetary, or the large plot of grassland that used to be  the cemetary until they dug out the graves for the train line. In the past there were plenty of easy good bargains as people didn't know the hospital became a thriftstore. Nowadays there's a steady stream of visitors.

This is the 2nd floor where all the fun stuff are. 1st floor contains the large furniture. In the individual ward rooms you can find many wierd things by sections. Oh yes and notice the fans, there's no air-con so be prepared for a little sweat-out. Just a side note that I'm not surprised why that disco dress is donated lol.

Manga & chinese comic books section, it's a nice bargain if you don't mind the edition differences/ yellowed pages. I once bought an early publication by Yumiko Igarashi (author of Candy Candy) here. 

Wall decorations, I fancied that mock Qing Dynasty wood plaques. The Last Supper one on the left was.. interesting.

These little wooden figurines are awesomely gloomy. They're in a set of 4 or 5 I think, but saving my cash. S$18 each excluding the 30% off for Christmas.

Aaah! Kinda creepy. They are maidens washing their hair.

The most common kinds of horse figurines available on earth I think. Chinese porcelain horses.

Bronze and brassware.

Lots of donated clothes; you can find some vintage pieces here, alot are gaudy and reek of mold. Some make you itch some make you sneeze some are new or overstocks and occasionally you find a gem! Just launder it well.

LEMONSHORTBREAD @ ETSY

My new art store at etsy where I'll be listing my ACEOs. It's a nice place, and I like that etsy widget which is on the side of my blog!

Click the banner above to visit or go to:

http://lemonshortbread.etsy.com

NEW CHARMS & JEWELRY SHOP!!

Yes I've been rather busy lately! Do visit my new slop (blog shop) ! It's got sum vintage stuff I like making ^_^, also I'm supplying limited charms for pple who like making D-I-Y jewelry.
Vintage & kitschy charms
Retro Beads
Handmade accessories
LEMON KITSCHARMS


The special price of $12 is for deviantart members, returning customers of my artwork and community friends, thank you!

INTEGRITY FASHIONS + TROPICAL FRUIT PUNCH

INTEGRITY FASHIONS will be having their summer collection trunk show on 30 June 2007 (Sat), with it will be one of my artwork 'Tropical Fruit Punch' that's debuting on a line of cute baby doll tees! Integrity Fashions' motto is 'Fashion for A Cause' and as promised, 20% of all proceeds will be donated to charity. Go check their website for more details! WWW.INTEGRITYFASHIONS.COM