Moving Product Reviews to LilithPress.ca/Shopping.html

Hello Frequent Shopper!

If you are reading this it is because we have decided to move (copy) many of our most popular posts to the following website:

http://www.lilithpress.ca/Shopping.html

Going forward, all new Product Reviews will be posted on the Shopping section of Lilith Press Magazine. Or possibly both PRC and Lilith Press Shopping.

Also to avoid understanding that doesn't mean we are deleting this website. By moving, we really mean we are "focusing" on the new website and "copying" our most popular posts over to the new site.

 

We may also continue to do short snippet reviews on PRC and possibly some longer ones too.

 

So if you want to see more Canadian product reviews, written for Canadians, go visit Lilith Press and bookmark the website for future use.

Plus Lilith Press has separate sections for the following topics:

http://www.lilithpress.ca/Art.html

http://www.lilithpress.ca/Books.html

http://www.lilithpress.ca/Entertainment.html (Games, Movies, Television)

http://www.lilithpress.ca/Fashion.html

http://www.lilithpress.ca/Food.html

http://www.lilithpress.ca/Music.html

http://www.lilithpress.ca/Sports.html

http://www.lilithpress.ca/Tech.html (Cellphones, Computers, Tablets, etc)

http://www.lilithpress.ca/Transportation.html (Cars, Bikes, Trains and More)

http://www.lilithpress.ca/Travel.html

So technically not everything will be in the Shopping section. Quite a bit will be spread around in the Books, Food, and other sections. But we will cross-list anything that fits in multiple topics.

Now please note, we do have over 440 product reviews on here... so it will take some time to copy the old reviews to the new website. We have decided to prioritize the most popular reviews.

Also, if you could be a doll, please tweet, facebook and link about our new website. We could use the extra advertising.

Thanks for visiting and supporting Product Reviews Canada!

Why does Amazon not accept PayPal?

By C. Moffat

Amazon is one of the world's largest online marketplaces for ordering pretty much anything you want.

PayPal is basically the world's largest online bank, the preferred way to pay for things online because it is safe, secure and fast. In 2014, PayPal moved $228 billion in 26 currencies across more than 190 nations.

So you would think it would make sense that Amazon would accept payments via PayPal...? Wouldn't you?

It would, except that PayPal used to be owned by eBay - an online rival marketplace, but one that focuses on auctioning off used items to the highest bidder.

Now you would think Amazon, which sells new items, and that eBay, which sells mostly used items, would not be rivals, but for whatever reason they are.

In order to better facilitate eBay's users they started the company PayPal to make it easier for people to pay for things online - and PayPal spread across the internet, becoming one of the best ways to safely and quickly transfer money to pay for things, send money to family/friends, etc.

Below is a Live Chat conversation I had with a "Help Representative" from Amazon. He deliberately avoided the real answer as to WHY Amazon doesn't accept PayPal.

The funny thing is that eBay doesn't even own PayPal any more. They are now separate companies, and have been completely separate since July 18th, 2015.

So admittedly the split was very recent. But still this would be an opportunity for Amazon to finally step up their game by accepting PayPal - and what is more they had roughly a year to prepare for the July 18th split, as eBay announced plans to split PayPal off from the parent company back in 2014.

So will greed finally win out and consumers will finally have another option instead of credit cards (which are notoriously problematic to use online)...?

Only time will tell.

What I will tell you is that I have 6 items in my eBay Shopping Cart waiting to be paid for - and I am not going to bother buying them until eBay gets their act together.

Shoes, Handbags and Free Shipping

Honestly I am not into buying shoes online. I like to try them on in person.

Thus when I see websites like Sole Society I shake my head in disgust. The site in question sells shoes, handbags, jewelry, hats, scarves, sunglasses and accessories - most of which are things you would probably rather try on in the store before purchasing.

For example I have never purchased shoes without trying them on first.

I have never bought a handbag / backpack or anything like that without opening it first and checking out the inside.

Jewelry? Well, if it was a ring for example I need to try it on to see if it fits. Bracelets and necklaces, okay, probably don't need to try it on, but it is still nice to see it in person first. Maybe check to make sure the diamonds are real.

Hats and sunglasses, again, need to try them on and check yourself in the mirror.

Scarves are the only item on the website I would even consider ordering.

In which case, am I that low on stores nearby that sell scarves? I can get to the Eaton's Centre in 30 minutes if I time the buses and subway perfectly. (When I lived downtown I was able to walk there in 10 minutes or bicycle there in 4.)

So I really don't see much benefit in buying shoes/similar items online unless they are ridiculous cheap compared to a store, which I doubt because the cost of shipping must be worked into the price somehow. Or if they are ridiculously cheap, there must be something wrong with them.

For example I know I can go on Alibaba and order lots of super cheap things from China and India. eg. You can buy 100 bamboo arrows from China for $30 + shipping. And the more you buy, the cheaper they are. That is amazingly cheap for a product you can sell in Canada for roughly $5 per arrow. So as long as a person could find plenty of buyers, you could conceivably buy 1000 arrows on there for about $300 + shipping and then sell them here in Canada for $5000.

That is the big trick about Alibaba. Everything is in bulk orders. eg. 50 pairs of shoes, or 120 pairs of shoes - everything is a minimum order of a relatively large amount.

But you won't find reputable brand names on there because you have to purchase those from the manufacturer's distributors. eg. I tried looking for Nike shoes, but the only thing I could find is display cases for selling Nikes on.

So in this case, yes, you can find things for ridiculously cheap prices online. But they won't be brand name and you have to order it in bulk. And the shipping isn't free.

Thrifty Wedding - Make your own cake decoration

We recently went to a wedding in which the bride and groom had done something amazingly cute and thrifty with their wedding cake. They made the decoration for the top of the cake themselves using large wooden clothes pins.

So yes, you could spend $50 - $300 on a very expensive decoration for the top of the cake.

Or you could just use some creativity and decorate it yourself.

People at the wedding thought it was so cute they were taking photos of it.

Chapters Greeting Card random sale a ripoff

Okay here is the deal. Chapters is offering a "random sale" of between 5% - 100% off greeting cards for Valentines... But only if you buy a regularly priced item at the same time.

90% of people will only get the 5% off on the greeting card. Ergo the deal isn't really much of a deal. It is a trick to get you to buy a book.

I bought a language book and a magazine... But now I am having buyers regret because I was duped into what essentially feels like gambling.

5% off on a gift card is pennies. And gift cards are way overpriced.

My Xmas Wishlist 2013

Now you might wonder I am working on My Xmas Wishlist 2013 in August.

August 6th no less.

It is 4 months and 19 days until Christmas Day.

Well let me explain.

My mother likes to start xmas shopping in September so that she can avoid the lineups during xmas time and capitalize on the back-to-school sales, thanksgiving and halloween sales instead on the lead up towards the Christmas shopping season.

Thus she starts asking her three children for xmas lists around the end of August / early September.

And now you understand why I am working on my xmas list now. In August.

Now to be fair it is often just a rehashed list from the year before wherein I try to mesh together things that I "need" and things that I "want". And I frequently re-use this same list whenever my mother starts asking about ideas for my birthday.

Thus if I don't get a particular item for xmas or my birthday during the previous year I either... buy it myself or it gets held over to the following year.

And now the list...

My Xmas Wishlist 2013

Tools

Asking for tools for xmas is a no-brainer. It is implied that they are a need as opposed to a want and thus you are more likely to get what you asked for.

Leather toolbelt - To be fair I am thinking about getting this myself so I can get the exact type of belt I am looking for. Or I could be more specific by telling my mother the exact model type, price, where to buy, etc.

I found one on Canadian Tire that I like. http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/6/Tools/ToolStorage/ToolHoldersBelts/PRD~0570082P/Mastercraft+Suede+Leather+Tool+Apron.jsp?locale=en

Wheel Truing Stand for Bicycle Wheels - If you are not a bicycle mechanic then you wouldn't really know what this is. The company I like is Park Tools.

Spoke Tension Gauge for Bicycle Spokes - Honestly most bicycle mechanics don't even use a tension gauge because they're too cheap and not that picky about how perfectly circular their wheels are. Myself however, I can true a wheel to within 0.2 of a mm margin of error (which is what professionals bicycle mechanics do in competitive bicycle racing because the more circular the wheel is the better the wheel can rotate slightly faster). But I can only do that when I have a tension gauge, spoke wrench and a wheel truing stand.

Clothes

Again clothes is often a need rather than a want. However I don't actually NEED socks. I have tonnes of socks. Three drawers filled with them. I have reached the point where when they go holey (Is that spelled right? I know it isn't holy, because that would be sacrilegious) I use them as rags for my bicycles.

Blue Socks (not navy or sky blue, just plain blue) - During the past 3 - 4 years I have kept asking for red socks. I knew I was going to get socks anyway, because I ALWAYS get socks for xmas, but in recent years I find it is more interesting to ask for a specific colour so my mother has a challenge finding them. (She enjoys a shopping challenge.)

Black Dress Shirts - Honestly, black dress shirts just looking better than white ones. Look great with black dress pants, black tie and black suspenders.

Grey Suspenders - Because suspenders rock. I still use belts regularly, but any chance to look extra spiffy calls for suspenders. Having a grey pair of suspenders will allow me the opportunity to change it up once in awhile.

Plaid shirts with snaps instead of buttons - Honestly, I just like ripping the shirt open quickly instead of having to unbutton them slowly. Takes less time. Shirts with snaps (in my experience) typically cost about $5 more than shirts with buttons because snaps are more expensive and difficult to install in the factory. But they're well worth it. A good place to buy such shirts is Mark's Work Warehouse.

Archery Winter Gloves - Recommended place to shop "The Bow Shop" in Waterloo. Size medium or large will likely fit me.

Leather Quiver, Brown - Preferably a nice long back quiver so that the arrows don't rattle around so much (or fall out easily).

Kitchen and Bath Items

A frying pan with a good sturdy lid - Some things break too easily so I want to make sure it is one that doesn't break.

A giant navy blue bath towel - The bigger the better.

Entertainment / Books

I have been putting things on the entertainment / books part of my xmas list for years now. Often the same things year after year. Instead I keep getting clothes, tools and kitchen things. Proof that my mother favours need over want.

The Saint (TV Series starring Roger Moore) - Because Roger Moore is awesome and I have been wanting this DVD set for years now.

Matt Helm movies (starring Dean Martin) - Like James Bond, but he can sing.

Any film with Audrey Hepburn, Kirk Douglas or Burt Lancaster. Because they're all amazing.

2nd Edition AD&D Monster Manual - Because it is from a retro 80s nostalgia roleplaying game and quite amusing to me.

"And their memory was a bitter tree..." by Robert E. Howard. A selection of Conan stories by the man who created Conan in 1932.

Why is printer ink so darn expensive?

If I want to buy ink for my printer I had best be ready to pay an arm and a leg for a little ink cartridge.

And it isn't because ink is particularly expensive - its because ink cartridge companies overcharge to ridiculous levels.

At Best Buy I find the following prices for ink for my Canon Pixma MX300...

Canon PG-40 Black Inkjet Cartridge (0615B02) 
Canon PG-40 Black Ink Cartridge is compatible with the Canon Pixma IP1600 photo printer.
$29.97

Canon CL-41 CMY Inkjet Cartridge (0617B002)
The Canon CL-41 Colour Ink Cartridge is compatible with the Canon Pixma IP1600 colour photo printer.
$39.99

So $69.96 for both.

If I go to Future Shop instead I find the following prices...

Canon PG-40 Black Inkjet Cartridge (0615B02)
Price: $34.99
Now Only: $34.99

Canon CL-41 CMY Inkjet Cartridge (0617B002)
Price: $39.99
Now Only: $39.99

So $74.98 for both. The colour ink at both locations is the same, but the black ink is cheaper at Best Buy.

HOWEVER!

$69.96 seems like a lot for two ink cartridges...

Especially when you can buy a brand new printer (with ink cartridges) for less - possibly even the same brand name as the ink you are seeking to purchase.

For example... Future Shop currently has an Epson printer for sale for $49.99. So you'd save about $20 + tax just by buying a new printer.

Ahem...

Or go to Best Buy... lots of sales to choose from. You can even get free shipping from either Best Buy or Future Shop if you order online.

If you pay attention to SALES regularly you can find cheap printers that are compatible with your current printer - and buy them just for the cheaper ink.

Now you might wonder WHY would I want to keep my current printer? Well in truth my current printer isn't that old - 1.5 years roughly - and it (Canon Pixma MX300) still works perfectly. Plus it is a scanner, fax machine and photocopier - so it has other uses compared to generic ink printers.

Although I must admit some of the Canon printers are wireless - which makes it tempting to have two printers available.

Also another complaint... the BestBuy.ca and FutureShop.ca websites are rather slow today. Appalling from companies that are supposed to be reputable.

But it all comes back to the idiocy that printer ink is more expensive than a new printer.

Yogurt - Beatrice Vs Activia

One of the things I like to do when shopping is compare labels (hot tip) to see what the calories in different products are.

Today I looked at

Beatrice Yogurt - 90 calories per small container
Activia Yogurt - 100 calories per small container
Activia Fat Free Yogurt - 40 calories per small container

Now the obvious choice - if you are on a diet - is to buy the Activia Fat Free yogurt because it has the least amount of calories in it. However I have purchased the Activia Fat Free yogurt in the past numerous times so I decided its time for a change.

So instead I am now trying the Beatrice yogurt.

Because how can I call myself a real product reviews person unless I sample different companies???

In the past I have also tried the Astro Zero yogurt too - and so far it is my favourite. Goes well mixed with granola or plain by itself. The Astro Zero also has 40 calories per small container.

I shall update this later with my thoughts on the 90 calories Beatrice yogurt. (I do like Beatrice chocolate milk so maybe the yogurt will be good too.)

Made in Canada = Hard to Find

Ever noticed how difficult it can be to find products which are "Made in Canada"... which are ACTUALLY made in Canada?

They do exist. They are hard to find these days, but not impossible to find.

TIP #1. Look for local manufacturers. If they're manufactured within 40 km of your home they might even offer free shipping.

TIP #2. Check the labels. It might say Made in Canada, but that might only be 'packaged in Canada' and manufactured overseas. Make sure.

TIP #3. Make a List of Canadian companies that manufacture in Canada. Organize the list by category or topic. ie. cosmetics, toiletries and local fashion such as Cake and Fresh Collective.

TIP #4. Research! There are several websites devoted to “Made in Canada” products. ie. buycanadianfirst.ca has consumer goods made in Canada, covering all segments of the market from clothing to furniture to sports equipment (Woot! Hockey sticks!). The website's goal is to “educate consumers on the availability of products made in Canada.”

ie. reallymadeincanada.com is also helpful, but you need to use the directory if you are looking for a particular topic.

TIP #5. Use Google Maps! You can use this for finding services too. ie. "Website Design near Isabella Street and Sherbourne Street, Toronto, ON, Canada".

And lets not forget the benefits of buying Canadian!

BENEFIT #1. Local manufacturers have more pride in their work and it shows in the quality of their craftsmanship. No plastic stuff from overseas or cheap wood that you have to assemble yourself from IKEA!

BENEFIT #2. Even the delivery men treat the objects you buy with more respect when its a local company.

BENEFIT #3. You are boosting the local economy by buying Canadian.

For more fun try reading the Competition Bureau’s regulations for “Product of Canada”.