Paper Talk | 5 Reasons to Love Zalora

During the school holidays, as the Christmas festive vibe sets in and reigns supreme, what would you do? For me, it's SHOPPING! It is Christmas time and there are just so many price cut-downs and sales in the mall. But then, we live in a time where we can just conveniently place orders through online shops and receive the items we had purchased while snuggling up cozily in your blanket at home. I didn't know Online Shopping has become such a trend now that it is vastly recommended by fellow bloggers and even YouTubers. There are tonnes of.. what they call as - unboxing videos all over YouTube. I guess receiving a parcel with lovely things in it just makes everyone feels on cloud nine and a little extra special. 

For this post, I'm gonna share with you guys my Online Shopping experience at Zalora. I have tried quite a few of online shops for the past month like I never did before. To be honest, Zalora is THE BEST. 

Received my purchase. 

Each of the items I have purchased are SEALED in INDIVIDUAL BAGS. Feels very exclusive. Way to go Zalora!

Okay.. So to conclude my whole experience, here are the 5 reasons why I love Zalora:

1. Easy Steps to purchase

At first, I was a little bit intimidated to buy things online because, let's all confess alright, who doesn't if you are buying things online for the first time? There are a lot of personal accounts on Facebook that sell clothes and other accessories whereby the customers make payment through bank transfer. It is quite troublesome as you need to go to the bank and make payment via bank transfer manually. If you buy on Zalora, it will be easier and you will have guarantee. First of all, you just need to add the products into your cart. Once you finished shopping, you need to "check out" to make payment. Then, you can select you payment method and make your payment. You will then receive BOSS code via SMS and just key in the code to make verification. Finally, if you have a BCard, you can redeem points too. (PS: If you are an active online shopper, it is advisable that you get yourself a BCard because most of the Online Shops are eligible to redeem points. With the points redeemed, you can get promising rewards.)

2. Cash on delivery

I think the thing we, as customers fret the most is whether we would be cheated if we buy things via online payment. Some skeptical customers (like me) will also be worried if my personal details is somehow unsafe and exposed online. Another problem is that, some customers might be afraid the products received are different from the ones they ordered. Therefore, this "cash on delivery" service provided by Zalora is really thoughtful and keeps their customers reassured. If you have chosen the "cash on delivery" payment method, then you are only required to make payment after the things you ordered are delivered to your doorstep safe and sound.

3. Fast and Free Delivery

Nowadays, everything is about "the speed". Fast, faster, then FASTEST. Have you ever experienced that antsy feeling whereby after you have ordered something online, and you literally wait at your doorstep everyday for your parcel to arrive? BAMMM, if this is you, then you should seriously consider Zalora. They deliver through the courier - GDEX and OMGGGG, they are very very very efficient. Seriously guys, this is from my personal experience. I just placed my orders on Thursday afternoon and the parcel was delivered to me on Friday noon. They took like.. ONE FREAKING DAY to deliver my parcel. No joke. You can also keep track on the process of your delivery online by entering your tracking number sent to your email at another website, which is also sent to you in the email. Also, you are entitled for free delivery once the money of the items you have purchased accumulated exceeds RM75. 

4. Free return within the next 30 days

I have to say, this is definitely a HUGE PLUS and another perfect reason for us to shop and LOVEE Zalora. I have been on a couple of Online Shop and I think I can safely say that Zalora is the only Online Shop that actually allows their customer to return the items purchased if they are not up to our expectation. When Zalora sends you the parcel, they will adhere a PosLaju slip along with an invoice form in it. All you need to do is - fill in the PosLaju slip, fill in the invoice with the reason you want to return the products, place the invoice and products you intend to return into the box, place the box back into the Zalora plastic bag, seal it with anything adhesive, paste the PosLaju slip on the plastic bag, post it at the PosLaju office nearest to your house and YOU ARE DONE! You don't need to pay even a cent for extra charges for the return.

5. Refunds

Okay, I just mentioned you can return the unworn items that you don't like or that do not suit you. What is better than that? You must be thinking that Zalora will refund in the form of credits right? Yes, you are right and no, you are wrong. They can return you the money in the form of credits (which means that you will have credits in your Zalora account) or if you want to, they can return you the money via your original payment method (which means that they will bank in for you the exact amount of the money of the products you returned). All you need to do is contact their Customer Service Team by dialing 03-20356622 and tell them you want to refund via original payment method. Easy right? Their staffs in the Customer Service department are very friendly and attentive. Therefore, do not hesitate to contact them if you have any enquires or requirements. 

These are the five reasons for me to LOVEEE Zalora from my first-time personal experience. I will definitely continue to shop at Zalora as its service is premium and one of the best. I never thought that online shopping would be that fun and easy. If you are planning to shop for upcoming Christmas or Chinese New Year, come shop with me at the one and only

THEY SHIP INTERNATIONALLY! :)

Foodie Hunt | Café Hopping 2

So today, I did another café hopping activity. We do this annually, usually towards year end just because there are way too many cafés blooming in Penang all the time around the year, and we just simply couldn't afford to go to cafés on a high frequency. But then exploring various themed-cafes is fun, so yeah.. here goes. We were supposed to do three cafés but then the odds were not in our favour, so we ended up going to only two of the highly recommended cafés - Tavern in the Park and Bricklin Bar Café. 

Tavern in the Park 

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125, Jalan Timah 

George Town, Malaysia.

Although Tavern in the Park is a relatively new café in the town, a lot of my friends had actually gone there and take superb photos. I can see why Tavern in the Park is the new talk of the town. It looks spacious and completely unconventional. Basking in the picturesque scenery within the Hin Bus Depot, the environment is definitely a plus for customers to dine in at Tavern in the Park. The building looks too surreal to be true - it looks like some really awesome places in artistes' music video. 

Crostini (RM18)

Their serving is Instagram-perfect indeed! For the Crostini, Strawberry and Blueberry, Peanut Nutella Banana and 3 - Mushrooms were our choice. Smoked Salmon was our initial choice but the colour of the trio was too yellowish and just looks too toned down. It was later replaced by the Straberry and Blueberry one and it was the best decision ever made. Hahaha.. The pop of colour brought the Crostini to life instantly. The taste of the crostini were just like breads, but a more sophisticated type. Judging by the look, they are probably healthy food as it has grains and sesame and some unidentified types of seeds.

Chicken Pesto Burger with Fries (RM17)

We were asked by their staffs several times for feedback and honest opinion about their food so that they could make improvement. I think their customer service was absolutely lovely as they tried to satisfy their customers in every way they could. In reply, we told them their food was just okay but then the environment was all warm and comfy, and the staffs were all but good vibes so, I don't think there was anything to complaint about really. 

Bricklin Bar Café

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31a Jalan Gurdwara,

George Town, Malaysia.

A few months ago, I was working on one of the articles I for the Stuff@School pullout when I came across Silly Epiphany's blog. I messaged her and politely asked if she could do me a favour by recommending one of the café in Penang that deserves a shout out. She was really helpful and attended to me not long after she received my email. Yeah, you got it right. She recommended Bricklin Bar Café. Not many had been talking about the Bricklin Bar Café but we don't always have to go with the trend right? 

Red Latte (RM10)

Miss Tham (owner of the blog Silly Epiphany) mentioned that the red latte is a must-try at Bricklin Bar Café as it is not found in other cafés. Of course, I wouldn't want to miss the chance to try something that exclusive. Unfortunately, I have to say that the Red Latte is not to my liking although Sze Chyi said it tasted just fine. Personally, I think it actually tasted like a strong, "kao kao eh" Teh Tarik.

Almond Salted Caramel Crepe (RM13)

I LOVVVEEEE this Almond Salted Caramel Crepe!! Being one with sweet tooth, I savour every bite of this crepe. Although the crepe was pretty soft, but then the heavenly taste of the caramel definitely surpassed its flaw. 

Both of the cafés are really close as the are within the same compound, which is the Hin Bus Depot. You can literally walk between both the cafés feeling like you teleported. Tavern in the Park is definitely a new thang in the town but Bricklin Bar Café is just as good if you want to have a chatty afternoon with your pals. You can pass through Bricklin Bar Café to Tavern in the Park but that would be like trespassing if you are not planning to having anything at Bricklin. There is a main entrance to the Hin Bus Depot where you can enter and go to Tavern in the Park. Along the way, you may also admire the beauty of the artsy works of various artists. 

Just enjoy the environment and food!

P.S: I don't have any idea why they have different addresses although I swear they are situated in the same compound. The addresses are obtained from the official Facebook page. Should you find any trouble locating the cafés, just search for Hin Bus Depot and it should guide you to the right place. Good luck!

Foodie Hunt | The Alley

I'm sure many of you are quite familiar with the name The Alley cafe, for I have heard not just one or two ravings about the cafe. Upon hearing all the lovely feedback and seeing the positive reviews, I have decided to give it a go. Cafes never fail to excite me as I have a secret little obsession towards them, mainly because of the craving aroused by super nice and artistic Instagram photos taken in the cafes. And it also feels.. "completed"? I just feel super contented very time a cafe is checked on my bucket list. 

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5, Stewart Lane

George Town, Penang.

Last Friday, Yee Hang, Sze Chyi and I walked to The Alley after watching the finale of the Hunger Games trilogy. (A little shoutout: Three of the previous ones are really great and the finale is no exception! Be sure to go watch if you haven't.) After half an hour or so, we reached The Alley with a slight struggle to locate the exact venue due to our lack of geographical knowledge. In the end, we managed to find it thanks to Google Maps. 

The Alley is just next to Guan Yin Teng where the locals and visitors go for prayers. We actually walked pass The Alley several times but we failed to notice it. I think it was because the outer look incorporated so well with the old and historical neighbouring household that it was so easy for us to miss it - like a chameleon that blends in so well with the surrounding. Most of the cafes in the heritage area have been by and large refurbished for aesthetic purpose, but not this one. The Alley cafe is a fusion of rustic and contemporary designs - simple and rejuvenating. 

Caramel Latte(RM11)

Latte (RM9)

Affogato with Häagen-Dazs ice-cream (RM15) 

I ordered the affogato as it was recommended by a few foodie bloggers. Quote: "Their affogato is a must-try." True enough, I love the how Häagen-Dazs ice-cream blended so well together with the concentrated espresso. I am no huge fan of coffee or anything like that but I love the tinge of sweetness of the ice-cream with the espresso that melts instantly.

P.S.: It was my first time trying Häagen-Dazs ice-cream *yelps* 

Churros in large size, with chocolate and caramel dippings (RM9)

This looks amazingly good and tastes absolutely mouthwatering. Churros is the signature dessert of The Alley cafe and I find them extremely scrumptious. It is served in two sizes - the small one (6 churros with one dipping) for RM6 and the large one (9 churros with two dippings) for RM9. The churros was sprinkled with fine sugar and crushed oreos. Crunchy on the outer part and soft on the inner part, it is similar to a fried bread, obviously, because they are made of dough, but the texture is nothing the same. The churros tasted like nothing I have ever eaten before and goes perfectly well with the caramel dipping. There are other dippings for you to choose for besides chocolate and caramel but I would strongly recommend this dessert to go with the caramel dipping. I am a chocoholic but in this case, I personally feel that the chemistry between the churros and the chocolate dipping was not strong enough :P

Another two signature dessert of theirs are Cronut (RM8) and Lemon Cheesecake (RM10). I would definitely be trying those at some point in the future because.. why the heck not? 

The Alley cafe is also an ideal place to take selfies with your fellow friends or even Instagram-worthy photos.  On the back part of the cafe, there are photo-shoot cards and wooden blocks with catchphrases and local dialects that you and I are familiar with, such as: "Why so serious?" , "Nah! Kinjio" written on them. Some of them are quite funny and cheesy. Unfortunately, as taking a selfie is like looking into the mirror, the words and the speech bubbles are somewhat funny in the photos .__. 

To sum our trip up, it was really enjoyable as we chatted there the whole afternoon. The price was not too crazy and.. yeah, I quite like The Alley Cafe. I quite like :)