One of the nicest things about being in a technology-enabled generation is that your purchasing options opens up a lot. I remember my first online purchase was in 1996, back during the days when Secure payment modes were still a reasonably new thing and many sites were still sending credit card payment details in the clear. *shudder*
Either way, things have improved a lot. There’s a crazy amount of stuff you can buy from online retailers, and have them shipped into Singapore. They’re not always cheaper after you include in delivery and possible disbursement / GST charges, but they can be – as long as you look for the right retailers, take advantage of discount periods, and also the occasional period when the US dollar or British pound weakens against the SGD.
I recently ordered a new lens from B&H Photo-Video, one of three online retailers I order a lot of stuff from (the other two is Amazon, and Amazon.uk LOL) these days. It’s an amateur travel lens for cropped sensor bodies – the Sigma 18-250mm. The lens isn’t widely popular, but it’s considered very good value for its asking price, and is reasonably sharp and devoid of complex optical distortions that’d require too much Photoshopping to correct later.
Now, what I found interesting though is the delivery path from the point of origin to its final destination in Singapore. Call me a details geek, but I enjoy looking at tables like these:
I wasn’t at home when the lens arrived on this afternoon, so it was accepted and signed for by Ling after paying the disbursement and GST charge (amounted to SGD68).
More photos to come, hopefully – but assuming if I can get out of the house and hit Punggol Park for an hour over the weekend!
Recent comments