De-clutter Your Closet & Earn Money Using Carousell – Part 1

Carousell is an E-commerce smartphone and web-based consumer company started in Singapore back in 2012.  Since then, it has expanded to 8 countries in Asia-Pacific and North America.  Operation in Hong Kong started in August of 2012; and has since become one of the go-to apps of locals to buy and sell items online.

The app has become ubiquitous with thrift-hunting and a way to earn cash on the side by selling pre-loved items that usually clatters small apartment spaces.  And with the pandemic still raging every where it is a nice way to make cash and get a bargain while staying at home.  Plus, the category of items to sell is varied, that you can list even cars, properties or services like maintenance or repairs.  It’s a simple app that could start your online business hustle from home or expand your existing business’ reach.

My own “love-affair” with Carousell started as a way to dispose textbooks that my kids no-longer needed, ethically.  The money that I got from selling those textbooks were then used to buy second-hand books that they would need for the next school year.  A win-win situation really!

If you’re looking for a way to de-clutter your closet, or just opting for some online retail therapy, download the Carousell app.  Make sure to select the proper region (country) where you’ll do business.

 

Signing Up for A Carousell Account

 

Both sellers and buyers need to create an account in order to interact with each other and make a transaction.  To sign-up from your mobile app, follow these simple steps.

1.      Choose a way to register.  You can register using your existing Google or Facebook account; or create a new account by choosing the Sign up for an account option.

2.      Fill up the necessary details like Username, Password, Country, Region, Email and Mobile number.

3.      Users who sign up using their Google account would receive an email for verification of their accounts.

4.      Verify your account using the OTP (One-time Password) that Carousell sent to the mobile number you’ve registered.

 

Creating A Listing to Sell Items

 

Creating a listing is very easy.

1.      Take a snapshot of the item you’d like to sell.  Make sure there’s adequate lighting and the photo is not blurry.  Take multiple shots of different angles, emphasizing both the good and bad aspect of your item.  This is especially needed when selling pre-loved items.

2.      On the app, click the Sell button found at the bottom of the screen.

3.      Choose the photo of the item you wish to sell.  You can upload up to 10 photos.

4.     Choose a category for your item.  There are a lot to choose from, so make sure it’s the best one as it would increase your chance of selling the item faster.  Each major category has sub-categories underneath them.  Carousell’s AI would also suggest a category based on your photo, or you can type a keyword on the search box.  Here’s the complete list of categories:

a.       Electronics

b.       Luxury

c.       Services

d.       Health & Beauty

e.       Women’s Fashion

f.        Property

g.       Cars

h.       Toys & Games

i.         Home & Furniture

j.         Video Gaming

k.       Men’s Fashion

l.         Kitchen & Appliances

m.     Babies & Kids

n.       Photography

o.       Design & Craft

p.       Antiques

q.       Textbooks

r.        Sports

s.        Pets Supplies

t.        Tickets/Vouchers

u.       K-Wave

v.       J-pop

w.     Food & Drinks

x.       Pre-orders

y.       Looking For

z.       Everything Else

aa.   Travel

bb.   Community

5.     Name your listing by providing a Title.  Make use of keywords or brand names.

6.     Choose the condition of the item. Be honest!  Depending on the category, some only has New and Used as its condition; others have these four conditions to choose from.

a.       Brand New

b.       Like New

c.       Well Used

d.       Heavily Used

7.     Price your Item.  You can have the item For Sale or For Free.  Make sure that you’re pricing your item based on the market and your item’s condition.  Do a research on how much other sellers are selling the same item by searching for it on the app.  Carousell would also suggest a price based on algorithm collated from same items listed and sold on the site.  However, understand that the suggested price is usually low ball.

8.     Give a detailed description of your item.  State its name, brand, specific information about the product, etc.

9.     If you’re selling more than 1 piece of the same product, tap the Show button beside the Optional Details, and tick the ‘I have more than one of the same item,’ radio button.  This would allow your listing to stay open even after you’ve already had an offer for it.

10. Choose your Deal Method.  This is another aspect of Carousell that I really like.  As a seller, I can choose to offer both Meet-up and Mailing & Delivery as option for sending the item to my buyer.  If you tick the Meet-up option, the app will bring you to Deal Location.  Just search for the location convenient for you to do meetups.  Popular locations are MTR stations.  Now you know why there’s so many people standing or milling about opposite exit areas of Mong Kok station!

You can choose more than one meet-up location!

11.  Click ‘List it!’ and you’re done.

To see your listed items, go to Home page and tap the Me icon.  It would show your profile page, ratings that you’ve received, and all the Listings you’ve created.  Items Sold or Reserved have bars on their thumbnail showing the said status.  Listing thumbnails would also show their age—how long the item is listed, the number of hearts (likes) it received and insights.  Click ‘View Insigths’ to see your listings’ 7-day statistic, which includes Impressions, Clicks and Chats, together with a bar graph arrange per day.

Once your listing is active, a potential buyer may then contact you thru the in-app chat or send an Offer.  Offer is the amount the buyer is willing to pay for the item.  It may be equal or lower than your listed price.  Haggle with the buyer if the offer price is too low.  You may also choose to Accept or Decline the offer.  If you Accept, you can place the item under Reserve or Mark as Sold.  If you only have 1 item, it would be a good practice to put the item on Reserve so other potential buyer can see it.

Your next step is to set-up the place, date, and time for the meet-up.  It is where the actual exchange of goods take place.  Be polite and pare your expectations.  State any limitations you might have on the proposed meeting.

Once that is set-up, just arrive at your meeting place on time.  Be in communication with your buyer and always have a smile.

Mark the item as Sold on its listing after your transaction and leave an objective and polite review for your buyer.

 

Tips on Using Carousell

 

·        Remember that most of the users are local and they would chat you in Cantonese.  Do not be afraid.  Just use Google Translate or state in your description that you would like to have the chat in English.

·        Give small discounts for bulk buyers.

·        Cash is king, but you can also offer other payment options like AlipayHK or WeChat Pay.  Just state in your listing that you accept these payments.

·        Update your Profile.

·        Always leave a review.

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Covid-19 Vaccine, 1st Dose Done

The Covid-19 vaccination program of Hong Kong government had resumed, last April 5, for those booked for the BioNTech, Cominarty vaccine. The program was initially suspended due to some vials having some packaging issues. After the investigation by vaccine manufacturer—Pfizer--cleared the issue, the government resumed the vaccination.  Those that had their bookings cancelled received SMS messages of their new vaccine schedule.

Covid-19 Vaccine Reschedule SMS

I’m happy to say that I’m one of those that received their new schedule at the same venue we initially booked.

I arrived at the vaccination center at Lai Chi Kok Park Sports Center, as scheduled, and happy to say that there’s no queue at the center.

Covid-19 Vaccine Booking Reference

I showed my SMS booking and scanned the Leave Home Safe app at the entrance of the complex.  Then, after going in, I again showed the SMS booking and my HKID at the booth.  They gave me a leaflet with information regarding the vaccine and a pen for me to tick the consent box on the leaflet after reading it.  We were given a seat inside the center to conduct the reading.

Covid-19 Vaccine Leaflet and Sticker

After reading and returning the pen in a collection box, I proceed to step 2, where patients were separated to each clinical booth to receive the vaccine.  The health officer asked for my HKID to scan and verified my personal information.  She then asked me some questions regarding my health background and asked for my consent to receive the vaccine.  I had to inform her that I do have some food allergies, so she advised that I stayed at the observation area for 30 minutes after getting the shot.

The actual jab was very quick and painless. I was surprised that it was done in a second.

She gave me a paper with information about my first dose of vaccine, the time it was administered and when to get my second dose.

I went to the rest area, where each seat was numbered and rested for the required 30 minutes.

Me with my jab

After that’s done, they gave me a packet of face mask on my way out.

Free Packet of Face Mask

That’s it! My first jab of Covid-19 vaccine is done.

I’m happy to say that I didn’t feel any pain, although I’m still observing myself.  From previous experience with other vaccines, I felt the pain and numbness at the jab area, the day after the shot.  Moving my arm from time to time actually helps in easing the pain more than letting it still for a long time.  I will update this entry should I feel any side effect tomorrow.

Here's to hoping there's nothing to update!

Have your vaccine recently? Or having a second thought? Tell me all about it at the comment section.   

Update April 17:

Felt only a little soreness on the location of the vaccine in the morning, but no impedement on my arm movement.

The soreness is gone by the evening.

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Saizeriya - Kid Friendly, Italian Food In A Budget

We love eating! I think that is a defining trait for Filipinos. We love to eat, and we eat a lot!  However, Filipino are choosy with what they eat.

 

The boys enjoying a pizza

How many times have you heard of a Pinoy living abroad and having a hard time looking for rice-paired food? Mostly, families doing a vacation trip end up eating in fast foods because that’s what their familiar with and that’s what the kids would eat.

 

One restaurant that we frequent here in Hong Kong is Saizeriya. It is a Japanese restaurant chain that features Italian food.

 

Photo Source: Saizeriya

Choices range from soups, salads, pizza, steak, risotto, and pasta.  A family with a picky eater in their group won’t have a problem in this place.  The food choices are kid friendly, and the portion is just right.  And if you are looking for some romantic dinner for two, Saizeriya also have wine pairing at HK$ 16 per glass and some lovely desserts.

 

Salmon Salad

Seaweed Salad

Cream Corn Soup

Spaghetti with Spinach and Smoked Salmon

Salami Pizza

Pizza Margherita

The kids love the place because of the self-service, unlimited soda bar. Price is HK$ 8, if you are below 13, and HK$ 11 for adults; kids 3 and below are free. You can create your own soda by mixing soda water with different flavors. Personally, I am not a fan, as I can't get the correct combination. I am more of a hot tea person.

 

Price is very reasonable. Soups and salads range between HK$ 19 to 24; while a plate of burger steak is only HK$ 32. The staffs are friendly, can communicate in English, as well as in Cantonese, and the service is fast and clean.

 

Hamburg with rich Cheese

Grilled Spicy Sausage

Our birthday boy enjoying his plate

There's plenty of Saizeriya shops all over Hong Kong. Check their site here for location and menu.  Next time you visit Hong Kong, skip the usual fast food and visit a Saizeriya instead. You won't regret it!

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Beach Day at Cafeteria New Beach

Public beaches have re-opened last April 2, after 4-months of closure due to a surge in Covid-19 cases. With it, other places like public swimming pools and museums have re-opened as well, but with limits in capacity.

 

The re-opening is just in time with the first day of the long Easter weekend, so time to hit the beach!

 

For this beach day, we head over to Cafeteria New Beach, along Castle Peak Road in So Kwun Wat, New Territories. The shoreline is a long stretch that connects directly with Golden Beach.

 

Source: Google Maps

From Sham Shui Po, we hop onto bus 52X and alight directly at Cafeteria Beach. Very convenient, but a rather long 1 hour, 22 minutes commute. For the complete bus route of 52X, follow this link.

 

Fish statue along the beach

There are groups of people enjoying the beach, but not too many. We all observed social distancing between each group and wear our masks, unless hitting the waters or the showers.

 

Cafeteria New Beach Shoreline

There's clean public toilet, shower and changing rooms. There are two lifeguard towers on the beach--although, I did not personally see if there's someone manning them.

 

Buoys are around the perimeter of the swimming area, with a warning to only swim within it.

 

The water is nice, though there is a little cold breeze blowing in. If you're going with little kids, be on the lookout, as the water goes deep easily just a few feet from the shore.

 

Dean getting ready to hit the waters

Cause you're never too old to play with sand

There's a store, Pattaya Beach Kiosk, where you can rent a beach umbrella for HK$ 80. Deposit is HK$ 100. Return your umbrella and receipt to get the change.  They also sell food, beverage, beach matts and toys. Not much store in this beach, so make sure to either bring some with you or eat before going.

 

Pink Umbrella for Rent

It is a good place to have some 3 to 4-hour of fun in the beach and do some sunbathing. Currently, barbecue pits are not yet allowed, so there's limited option for food if you are planning on a whole day beach outing.

 

Cafeteria New Beach is open until 6:00PM.

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Where To Buy Airsoft Guns In Hong Kong?

Owning and playing with realistic guns in Hong Kong is not illegal. There's no carry license requirement, compared to the Philippines.

Airsoft guns are consireded toys in Hong Kong as long as the firing energy does not exceed 2 joules. But these toy guns is nothing like your plastic toys. Most of them look and feel realistically like a gun. Airsoft gun is made up of aluminum and steel and weigh similar to a real gun.

They fire using compressed air, powered by a either rechargeable battery or directly injected with compressed air from canisters and uses BB pellets as ammunition.

Hubby is an afficionado of airsoft back in the Philippines. I actually gifted him a Tokyo Marui rifle as a wedding gift. But after the Philippine government required licenses, hubby and his friends stop their weekly meet for airsoft mock-assaults. Finding a thriving Filipino Airsoft community here in Hong Kong is like winning a lottery for him.  So after joining the club one Sunday, he went crazy buying guns for him and the kids.

For those looking for a place to buy their guns and gears, the best place to visit are the stores at Kwong Wa street in Mong Kok.

Airsoft specialty stores line the street, but we opted to go to Gun Mall.

They're a fairly sized store with plenty of guns and accessories to choose from.

Gun Mall even offer repair services for different guns needing cleaning and repair.

The store clerks are young, friendly and can easily communicate in both Cantonese and English, so you won't have any issues finding the best airsoft gun for you.

Interested in Airsoft guns? Visit Gun Mall online (www.gunmallhk.com) or at their shop at 

24 Kwong Wa St, Mong Kok.

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Sham Shui Po--The First Day Of CNY 2021

First day of the Chinese New Year is very different if compared to the first day of the calendar year, as celebrated in the Philippines.

In here, the shops are closed on the 1st day of CNY. The market, the bakery, even the malls are closed! Add in that, the pandemic and you won't have a reason to go out. A shame really, cause it's a holiday.

Good thing, we're at Sham Shui Po. This district is akin to Binondo in Manila. The place is residential and inhabited with the less wealthy. The street is lined by stalls and market stores on the regularly day, but they're closed today.

Instead, traders are lining the streets; with their wares on a mat at the floor.

Second hand items, old items and antiques are for sale. Goods and goods everywhere.

There are shoes

Vases and displays

Second hand cameras

Jewelries

And antiques at each corner and street.

It's a wonder feast for your eyes. I wish I can buy some vase, but I have nowhere to put them. Plus, the house we left at the Philippines is already full of vases and knick knacks galore.

Want to stroll at Sham Shui Po? Take the Tsuen Wan line and alight at Sham Shui Po station. Visit Apliu street by exiting thru exit C.

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Happy Chinese New Year, Year Of Metal Ox

Chinese New Year 2021 or the Spring Festival falls on February 12, with this year as the year of the Metal Ox.

This is the first time that we would be in Hong Kong for the Chinese New Year. It's supposed to be the biggest festival in all of China, but with the pandemic, everything is muted.

Festivities and public celebrations are cancelled in favor of social distancing. No Chinese parade (Dragon dance) at Tsim Sha Tsui, or fireworks at Victoria Harbour. For a full list the cancelled festivities, check this site.

I'm not big on traditions but I can very much say that I wish I can see what their New Year's eve look like.

What thing I did notice, while living at Sham Shui Po market is the change in the items being sold in each stall. Suddenly, the stall selling vegetables is now half-filled with various types of plants associated with money or good fortune, like a money plant; and tons and tons of beautiful flowers! The potted orchids displayed are exquisite, but expensive!

Following are some of the traditions observed by the Chinese during Spring Festival.

1. The house is decorated by beautiful flowers! This is spring, so bloom is the order. I'm more of a plantita, so I bought potted plants that would bloom even indoor.

2. Mandarins, Oranges and Clementines are the auspicious fruits! This is because the color orange is close to gold. Gold represents wealth and good fortune.

A funny story: Hubby bought these giant Mandarins not knowing the meaning behind. He found them amusing because of their size. I mean, as a Pinoy, we're only used to the size of a Kiat-kiat. These Mandarins are the size of coconuts.

According to hubby's colleague, we're not to eat them before Chinese New Year. They're supposed to decorate the table together with the flowers.

3. Red Packets (Hung4 Baau1) or what we call ampao in the Philippines, is the lucky red envelope containing crisp notes. This one I'm very familiar with. Hubby regularly brings them back to the Philippines when he vacations.

You give them to family, friends and officemates as a good luck. You're not supposed to take out the notes immediately but keep them. Huh?! Tell that to Pinoys!

Aside from the above, I've also learned things that you're supposed to avoid during Chinese New Year, to ensure that your good fortune would last the entire year.

1. Apparently, you're not allowed to clean the house for the first 5 days of the New Year, hence, the intense cleaning of the entire house a day before! Uhh, I don't think I can adhere to this one!

2. No cutting of hair for the first month of the year. So, make your hair appointments before, not after. If you do, bad luck would hound your uncle at the maternal side. Now, as to how that is, I have no explanation.

3. Eat a longevity noodle without cutting the noodle! Yup, that's right. You're supposed to slurp that noodle end-to-end without cutting it. The name of the noodle is self-explanatory.

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Tea Madam?

I'm a coffee girl; and a cola girl. I don't go buying milk tea back in the Philippines, even if it's the craze back then. Not because I don't like the taste, although I find it too sweet and honestly? Expensive!

People here love tea! Whether it's a herbal tea, milk tea or iced lemon tea. Each meal is commonly paired with tea.

After coming here, we kinda fell into this habit of having hot tea before going to bed.  It started when hubby had constant stomachache. He's acidic, so coffee is out. And noone wants to take bland hot water.

With some experiment, we came up with a recipe.  Ginger tea with honey, topped with a Lipton tea bag. The ginger soothes the stomach by reducing gas, honey for sweetness, and the tea bag, for flavor.

Now, everytime we relax in front of the TV--after dinner and excercise--we have tea. Sometimes, paired with a cake or a daifuku.

Try it sometime. I normally have a 1L flask where I put sliced ginger and hot water to let the ginger steep. So everytime we want tea, a brew is available.

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Opening A Bank Account in Hong Kong - HSBC One

Saving is always a good exercise, and with that a bank account. There are plenty of big banks here in Hong Kong. HSBC, Standard Charter, Citibank and Bank of China are some of the biggest bank here.

I opted to open an account with HSBC to have access to their 12-in-1 currency and investment account, called HSBC One. Imagine, only one account, but you can deposit at different currency like USD, CNY, JPY, etc. That would also mean, you can withdraw funds at those notes when traveling in other countries.

Here's a run down on the requirements so you can also open your account.

Documents

HK Identification Card (HKID)

Passport

Proof of Billing - as recent as last 6 months

Fund

There's no minimum to open an account. You can open for as low as 10HKD.

Age

Adults, those above 18, can open a 12-in-1 account. This comes with an ATM. You may also add a check, if you wish.

Minors, those below 18, can open a kiddie account but should be accompanied by their parent or guardian. The account doesn't have access to other currency, only HK dollar. Also, no investment instrument.

Best to open a kiddie account together with your main account, if you're planning to get them started in financial literacy early on. Remember, no minimum amount!

Interest Rate

Interest rate for a deposit account is really small at 0.001% APR. Your money would earn interest when it reaches a daily maintaining balance of 5,000HKD.

Anyways, the interest here is not your goal in openning a bank account, unlike in the Philippines. Here, people open bank accounts to build up a good credit standing with the bank and for convenience. Banks won't offer you credit and loan instruments if you don't have a bank account. Also, government subsidies are routed via banks.

Miscellaneous

One thing to bear in mind, opening an account takes a bit of time, about 1.5hrs to 2hrs for 3 persons! But, you'll get your ATM the same day and get to set-up your online account as well. So, do give time for it. Do not go to the bank with just less than an hour to spare. They would probably ask you to return the next banking day instead.

Take time to find the branch where you can open an account. Branches in Hong Kong are not all the same. A tragedy I found out that led me to 2 failed attempts of opening an account!

 

The are business branches, premier branches, overnight banking branch and a regular deposit account.

Business branch is self explanatory. Premier branches are for those with 1,000,000 HKD to open their account. Overnight banking are mostly for inquiries and check deposits. Look for a regular deposit account, approach their customer assistant and start your account opening.

Good luck!

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