Sankofa

In my previous post, I have illustrated and explained the “science” of online shopping and at the same time, revealed my addiction to fascination with cute Korean earmuffs and my tiring search for a local store that sells Mix-style headphones. Let me break it out to you as early as now: As of press time, there are no local shops/stores/establishments in the Philippines that sells authentic Mix-style headphones. There are a lot of Pinoy Netizens in Multiply or Sulit that sells these babies but be warned: MOST of them are cheap, fake imitations (But hey, if you’re a cheap, wannabe poser, that just might work for you)! Of course, there are some that sells authentic ones but they are just pre-ordering them online (probably from YesAsia) anyway, so to avoid the additional overhead charge and to be sure that you are getting your money’s worth, why don’t you just buy one for yourself?

Authentic Mix-style Headphones are <3

Before thinking of buying these online, make sure that you have the necessary stuff like Paypal first! For more information on how to start shopping online, click click!

So if these headphones are not available locally and there is a danger of getting fake ones when buying from Netizens, where can one buy authentic Mix-style headphones? Where else?! From YesAsia of course! The leading Internet source for Asian entertainment products.

YesAsia is the leading Internet source for Asian entertainment products

So why YesAsia?

Aside from being the trusted online store for Asian entertainment product since 1998, the fact that they will ship your item FOR FREE (Yes, Free International Shipping) makes YesAsia the ONLY online shop to consider when buying Mix-style headphones. Also, YesAsia would reship your item for free if it gets lost or late. They also support a wide range of payment options including Paypal.

Great! So how do I start buying?

Woah! Relax! You need to create an account first! Click the “Sign in or Register” button at the top of the page to get started!

YesAsia registration page

After completing the form, you will receive an e-mail that contains instructions on how to continue. Don’t worry, the registration process is easy, fast and free. Just remember to always provide your correct postal address since this will be used in delivering your item.

Done and done! Can I buy now?

Not yet! Log-in with your account first. Then, using the green navigation bar at the top, go to the Electronics page (Shop -> All Departments -> Electronics -> All Electronics). Immediately, you will see on the left side of the page a section labeled “Specials” and you will see Mix-styles listed under that.

YesAsia Electronics page

Click that and you will be redirected to the Mix-style catalog that contains all Mix-style products! If you’re lazy, just click here.

Mix-style Catalog

So how can I order?

Now that you’re in the Mix-style product page, you should now choose the Mix-style design that you want. Personally, it was a hard choice between the BK*PK (Black-Pink) and Star U.S. (Blue and Red). But I got the BK*PK one. Anyway, after you’ve decided which design you want, just click the Add to Cart button.

Add your Mix-style to your cart

After adding the item to your cart, click the “View Cart” button or click the “Cart” button on the upper-right corner of the page to proceed to the check-out page.

Proceed to the check-out page

Checking-out

Review the item on your cart then click the “Proceed to Checkout” button to pay for the item.

Proceed to Checkout

NOTE: If you want to send your item as a gift (Mark as Gift), click the “Show Free gift options during checkout?” box. According to some netizens, marking your parcel as gift should let you avoid taxes.

After clicking the link, you will be redirected to a page wherein you will enter your personal information and the address where the item will be shipped.

Shipping page

When filling-up the form, double-check that you gave your correct details! This information will be used to ship your item. Click the “Save this to my address book” so that you don’t need to give this information again on your next order. Click the “Ship to this address” button to proceed.

Choosing a shipment option

Personally, I chose the “Express Service” (courier) thinking that I would be able to avoid getting taxed but on the contrary, shipping your item via Sea Mail (SAL) has a larger probability of avoiding the tax man (More on this subject here). I ended up paying for the shipping fee and the customs tax. So I highly advice you to save the $16.97 shipment fee and just choose the “Standard Service” to avail of the free shipping. The only downside is that the item takes longer to arrive (and you can’t track your parcel) and you need to pick-up your parcel over at your local post office.

Choose Standard Service for Free shipping

To continue, select  “Standard Service” and click the “Continue” button.

More on my failed attempt on avoiding the tax man: So yeah, I chose the “Express Service” option. That’s an additional $16.97 USD (Go here to calculate for the shipping fee for Philippines [ZONE1]).  By choosing this “premium” option, YesAsia shipped my parcel using DHL and gave me a tracking code. The tracking code is a code that you will use to track your parcel (DUH) online. The tracking report looks like this:

DHL Tracking Page

So when the package arrived at the local DHL distribution center, I got a call from them and they notified me that I need to pay some fees from the custom before they release my parcel. DHL already paid for me in advance and I need to pay them. All in all, I paid an additional fee that amounts to 548.60 PHP. According to their “Inbound Charges Invoice”, the breakdown is as follow:

• Informal Entry Declaration ————————————————— 33.60 PHP
• Import Processing Fee      ————————————————— 250.00 PHP
• Customs Documentary Stamps ——————————————– 265.00 PHP

Paying with Paypal

You will then be redirected to the “Payment” page. Tick the Paypal option then click continue.

Right after, you will be redirected to the last and final page from YesAsia. Click the “Place Order” button and you will be redirected to PayPal. Login with your PayPal account and confirm the payment. (Sorry, I forgot to get some screenshots!).

After confirming the payment, you will receive a couple of E-mail from Paypal and YesAsia. Paypal will confirm the payment and YesAsia will confirm the order. If this is your first time to use your Paypal account with YesAsia, YesAsia will need to “verify” your Paypal account first. That should take 1 business day, 2 at most. You can check the status of your order on your YesAsia account page. If you’re payment has been verified, YesAsia will send another e-mail to notify you that your item was shipped. If you chose “Standard Service”, you should sit back and wait for your local post office to send you a “coupon” that you will use to pick-up your item. If you chose to pay for the “Express Service”, you can use the tracking code to track your parcel. Also, the courier will deliver the item to your doorsteps.

Unboxing your Parcel

When you receive your parcel, it should be nicely sealed-up in a box. If not, you should “Refuse the package” and contact YesAsia for a reshipment.

Here are additional pictures of the Unboxing!

Yours truly modelling a BK*PK Mixstyle

Additional Questions

How can I identify fake Mixstyle headphones?

- This is just from my personal observation. I noticed that the fake ones have a shiny “plastic” finish while the authentic ones have a “rubber” finish. Click here for a guide to spot fake Mixstyle headphones.

How much does a Mixstyle cost at YesAsia?

- As of press time, all Mixstyle headphones cost $49.99. Depending on the exchange rate, the appropriate amount will be deducted on your account.

How can I get a Paypal account?

- For more information on how to sign-up for a bank account and a Paypal account, click here!

How long did it take to receive your package?

- I placed my order on the night of Feb 25 (Thursday). My order was verified and shipped by YesAsia on the 26th (Friday). I got the call from DHL on Monday morning March 1. I refused accepting the shipment because no one is at home to receive it. I got the parcel on March 2 (Tuesday). So that’s 3 business days.

If you have additional questions, leave them on the comments!