Amazon vs. eBay

It is all about the money. Yeah, it is... We all know that... But this is a review that I think it is good to know about and only reflects my experiences and opinions. 

If you'd known more and perhaps you could take decisions that are effective too and not just time and money consuming, wouldn't that be better? 

So here you go, let me start with the story of my e-commerce love experiences on these two sites: 

We all (almost all) know what both sites do. E- commerce platforms for sellers and buyers, which intend to be there if you really need something but just don't have the time to pop down the store, supermarket or go to the outlet to get it or better, simply sell your stuffs quick and efficiently.

You can get everything on all sites, from brand new to old, literally every item you can think of. Now if I compare the two sites, eBay gets the glory. I've been a fan of online shopping and selling for over 5 years now when I realized that even with my rubbish English I can still sell my unwanted items on both sites and get anything new I needed for the fraction of the high street store prices anytime ;). How cool is that! 

Some people think that buying things online is awful and I've also heard people telling me: "It's like buying something from a rubbish store that is cheap and comes with cheap quality too", basically bad... But the point isn't this, but rather that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it isn't actually that bad, on the contrary. And after my last purchase on Amazon I've realized how difficult that website actually is to deal with and yet my habit of shopping online stays on place numero uno.  

Why I dear to say that Amazon is a difficult website to deal with? Because if you compare the sites you realize that actually whilst eBay focuses more on practicality in case of search optimisation, Amazon focuses more on brands and stores. Here I also dare to mention that second is slightly expensiver (in general with 10%) as well. In case of product description where the system could easily filter your search results with certain settings it just won't happen in case of Amazon as product descriptions are most of the time messed up (I know... mainly sellers fault.. but come on...). There is so so much text on the site of Amazon, and pictures, descriptions so badly proportioned that by the time you'd spot out some info you are looking for, your eyes and brain are fuzzing from all the details on the page in front of you. 

Comparing the design of two platforms at first sight eBay seems too simple, and brighter as well, while Amazon is dark and serious (some people like that). An other proof that it isn't always the look that counts. Selling on eBay if you are a newbie or small company is cheaper as well.

Though couple of things that piss me of and in both cases is nuts are the facts that: 1. They charge you for your postage prices as well (basically they take off money from the postage fee you charge the buyer). 2. None of them has a system/ policy in place yet where they would set limits to certain P+P charges to sellers, so some sellers just go way beyond the limits with their charges... 

If these sites are trustworthy? Well till now it seemed that yes and if any issues arose all seemed to deal with it asap, though eBay seems to be more spot on, while Amazon takes its time, but both side have good customer support (except when you are dealing from abroad with your account, eBay policy is just so so messed up).  The point is whenever you want to buy something ensure you get to know as much as possible about the product and if a seller doesn't describe it on their "online store" properly then either don't deal with that person or just ask questions, and worst case don't deal with that seller at all if they seem to be too doggy. 

Massive e-commerce platforms like Amazon & eBay can be really good but only if you really know what you want to buy or sell and you are absolutely aware of their rules and regulations ! (10 minutes reading and all done, so take your time if you want to succeed). 

Happy shopping, selling and bidding (which is so much fun, and if there is a reserve price for an auction item on eBay, and you haven't met that limit whilst bidding, you won't get that product "sooo cheap", I mean at all... so just get it :D)

Showcasing my grand designs :D

I love taking pictures and also designing when bored and though my creativity still can be improved I thought I'd share some of my old master pieces which are mainly photos taken by me that I love and also couple of my designs I have worked on ages ago and still sometimes feels good looking at them. Enjoy the view and inspire :D. Photoshop can make wonders... I had to use it a lot and omg. made my life easier.

An assignment for my college... a year calendar... Well bit ugly and boring but I am still proud of it 

The assignment when you have to design a leaflet for your college and you think the world spins around you and don't realize that there is too much dark matter ...:)))











When I studied Fashion Styling... well... almost there, you can't complain, the only problem was that I kept forgetting to iron everything for a great smooth result :P

The best ever design (t-shirt) made with my best ever little mate for her tournament in 2012 for the memory of the Olympics and of course mixed with my own sketches which I just have no clue how I managed to work out this way... :D

  The dress and the unmissable clutch with matching shoe   

 

Obsessed with the Japanese Gateway in Kew Gardens

#Flowers of spring, just amazing

Too depressive or work too stressful?? One house mate got fed up and well with reason I guess :))) 

The limit is the sky and above the clouds is peaceful

Chicken with her ducklings, I hardly could believe my eyes 

There were two things I loved about my Sony Ericsson Walkman phone: listening to music was waoo but taking pictures even better as you can see below :D 

View from Chelsea Harbour & that Chelsea Bridge

Poole Harbour 

 Busy & cosy Central London

 St. James' Park

How staffing agencies work & what they "forget to tell" when working with them

It is a very peaking fashion here in the city (London) and assume in quite loads of other places as well, that when agencies hire you: 

1. they don't give you contract (ALWAYS READ IT IF BY CHANCE YOU GET ONE!!!)

2. they don't tell you exactly how things work

3. they "forget to pay" for the full hours you worked for and most importantly...

4. unless they calculate it straight into your salary  they don't tell you that you are entitled to holiday pay (here you must find when the latest date each year is to request your holiday pay by. If they don't tell you and you don't ask, they can get away with: "it is not our fault" that you haven't received any holiday pay and because you went over the last closing day with the request they can "keep" the money, specially if there is a funny clause in your contract about it.)

 + + + The holiday pay rate is 12.07% on top of your  hourly wage. This figure is from the following: in a year there are 52 weeks with 5 working days, that equals with 260 days. From this as per the UK law the minimum entitlement is 20 days statutory holiday + 8 days bank holiday (5.6 weeks). You take away the 28 from the 260 so that means in a year you can work 232 days. If you divide the 232 with the 28 days then you'll get the 12.07% as a holiday rate timer. Always check your contract/ assignment or ask if you get the holiday on top of the wage they offer you or it is calculated in it!

Well there is a reason behind agencies doing all this tricks and treats kind a BSs. They are tricky or stupid (because there are some who are) and want the money!

Most of the time the money they get (hence the reason some of them are so big) is from the difference of your minimum wage that they give you and the money they receive from the actual hirer (company whom you work for). Though after 12 weeks of employment with the agency in the same position you should get the same salary as an employer who works directly to the same company in the same or very similar position, you more likely won't receive it. Why??? Because either your agency on paper swapped your assignment and "forgot" to inform you, or they were sending you on and off with big gaps back to the same place or in worst scenario they play along that "Come on, don't be stupid, such thing doesn't exist and be happy that you have a job" and the best part: some apply this legislation the most illegal way possible and ACAS won't help you, just the tribunal... So even though there is always a company where people are "Go happy, be lucky" (basically have no clue what's up) there are others who will mess around with you as they wish so please read thoroughly your contract and don't sign anything that you are not happy with. 

After the 12 weeks qualifying period for everyone in any role at any company you are entitled to the same basic rights (pay, holiday, in certain cases benefits etc.) as the people who are hired directly by the company (doesn't matter if it is a contract or permanent role) you will just be going there through the agency.

The reason why quite few agencies send you from one place to the other is because that way you don't stay with the same employer in the same role for a period of 12 weeks (or prolongate the period to accumulate the time and you might also give it up by then), and this way they can keep you on minimum wage/ low salary all the time and don't have to worry about someone telling on them that they don't provide work... 

Plus: If they write in your contract that your salary is confidential and you can be fired if you tell anyone how much you earn, and you will be contracted on minimum wage, just stand up and turn around, that certainly is a people exploiter agency! 

I don't like agencies... Every single one of them I went to are interested in their own well being only and treat new comers badly, plus the ones who actually work hard and amazingly well, they fuck them over even more... Or the other scenario they are so messed up that they can't figure out whether they should pay you or go bankrupt...

So yeah, learn these: 

+ Agencies are there only to get along if you are bored and would like to have something extra on the side, they will never look at you as someone who wants to progress as a professional or be a great worker to anyone

+ Never work with an agency who tells you what you have to do and what your duties are without giving you a contract, telling you about your rights, about the possibilities to progress and screw you over when it is about giving your pay + holiday pay.

+ If agency that asks you to do a min. 1 week full time unpaid training without guaranteeing work after, gosh run away from there... They won't be worth your time, invest in something more useful as most of the times the trainings they provide are just BS anyways only to cover their asses that they told you, but actually don't give a S* whether you've listened, understood it or not.

+ If an agency tells you to stay on line 24/7 and do what they ask you do to and won't give you work within matter of days, tell them to fuck off...

Really good agencies will work with you, are organised, don't bossy you around, and from day one, they'll explain you what's up and what you should deal/ count with. Ask for references from others if unsure.

Happy hunting and just think twice before you go to an agency to work through them and best of luck (which here won't really matter) ... One more thing to bear in mind: STAFFING AGENCIES ALWAYS CONSIDER YOU STUPID OR DANGEROUS but never clever! Pardon me for my language but this matter does deserve it and frankly is just frank and realistic :*