Bulova men's watch, total Knockoff deal!

So, we celebrated New year's eve browsing through amazon.com, not really a traditional way of celebrating it, but it was good fun for me and my family. My cousin, found the watch of his dreams, he's the type of person who would buy one thing and use it for years, until it's completely unusable.

The price when converted is P5,494 ($134), shipping to P.I is not included, using air cargo with insurance, it's about $20 more. Still pretty cheap compared to buying watches here in the Philippines, specially if the retail or listed price is $475.

Well here's the biggest knockoff we've found and bought last night for him...It's not a gift, he'll have to pay me of course. haha

Bulova

Bulova Men's 98B137 Marine Star Silver White Dial Watch

List Price:	$475.00
Price:	$134.00 & eligible for Free Returns
You Save:	$341.00 (72%)

Product Specifications

Watch Information
Brand, Seller, or Collection Name	Bulova
Model number	98B137
Part Number	98B137
Model Year	2011
Item Shape	Round
Dial window material type	Mineral
Display Type	Analog
Clasp	Fold-Over Clasp with Double Push-Button Safety
Case material	Stainless steel
Case diameter	45 millimeters
Case Thickness	12.5 millimeters
Band Material	Stainless steel
Band length	Men's Standard
Band width	24 millimeters
Band Color	Silver
Dial color	White
Bezel material	Stainless steel
Bezel function	Stationary
Calendar	Date
Special features	Chronograph, Shock resistant, Water Resistant
Movement	Japanese-Quartz
Water resistant depth	330 Feet

Accessories for my gadgets

I've always been a mobile phone freak. I would buy and sell, then buy again whenever there's a new handset out in the market. Some would last 2 weeks, some 3 months, but 3 years ago, I managed to tame myself for a bit and stick to one new phone for at least a year. To date, I have a Samsung S3 in pebble blue, which is smart locked, and my new shiny iPhone 5 which is globe locked. I love them both, although my original plan was to resell the iPhone 5 in a couple of months then buy the Samsung Note II LTE version when it arrives in the Philippines. Right now, I'm loving my Iphone 5, it's a breath of fresh air after years of having BIG SCREEN phones. Every year, mobile phones seem to get bigger and heavier, that is the current trend, as when a few years ago, the trend was the smaller the better.

Anyway, as a Christmas present to myself this 2012, I went ahead and got myself an iPhone 5 (had my eyes on Samsung Note II, but the latter does not support LTE yet while the Iphone 5 does). It wouldn't be complete without a protective case, a car charger, a car mount & a bluetooth handsfree headset, at least in my opinion.

Check out what's in my cart:

1.) iOttie One-Touch Windshield Dashboard Car Mount Holder for iPhone 5 4S 4 3GS Samsung Galaxy S3 S2 Epic Touch 4G HTC OneX EVO 4G Rhyme DROID RAZR BIONIC INCREDIBLE 2 CHARGE Google Nexus BlackBerry Torch LG Revolution GPS Compact Size 360 degree Rotatable

Personal favorite-This gadget will be able to hold either my Iphone 5 or my samsung S3. I need a car mount for my mobile phones as I am quite dependent on my phone's GPS, and it's quite annoying (and not safe) to have the phone sitting by my side and having to hold and look at it while driving.
 

List Price:	$24.99
Price:	$19.99
You Save:	$5.00 (20%)

Technical Details

• Easy one-touch mounting system locks and releases the device with just a push of a finger
• Extra -large strong suction cup attaches to the windshield or most smooth flat surfaces and is easily removable
• Super strong suction cup can be restored to its mint condition by rinsing it with warm water and allowing it to air dry
• Fully adjustable with 360 degree rotation for quick portrait and landscape views
• No slip-grip securely holds mobile devices up to 3 inches wide

›  See more technical details

2.)PowerGen Dual USB Port 2A 10w (fast) Heavy Duty Ouput Car Charger - White

List Price:	$29.99
Price:	$9.99
You Save:	$20.00 (67%)

Technical Details

• PowerGen Power-U Dual Port USB Car Charger charges your iPad, iPhone, iPod, HTC, Blackberry, MP3 Players, Digital Cameras, PDAs, Mobile Phones.
• Use your existing USB charging cables to charge most USB powered devices / Easy-to-see LED confirms whether USB charger is properly connected
• Dual Port Design, one 2 Ampere Max. port for iPAD / Tablet / GPS, and one 1 Ampere max. port for Mobile phones. (Share 2A when both ports in use)
• Input:12-24V 1000mA; Output:DC 5V 2A or 5V 1A (Share 2A when both ports in use)
• Sophisticated circuit design with over-heated, over-current, over-charging protection. Charging will be automatically stop when battery is full.

›  See more technical details

3.)New Matte Clear 0.4mm Ultra Thin Bendable Snap-on Air Case Back Cover for iPhone 5

Price:	$3.00

Note: Free shipping when purchased from SolidDealio.  Not eligible for Amazon Prime.

Technical Details

• Light weight, Slim, and Perfect fit for the new Apple iPhone 5.
• Super thin, only 0.4mm and weights less than 0.1oz.
• 1 Piece snap-on back case only, iPhone not included.
• Made of high quality durable unique bendable hard PC material.
• Matte transparent back cover and clear frame cover.

›  See more technical details

 

4.)Official Samsung 1.0A Home Wall AC Travel Charger Adapter with USB 2.0 Data Sync Charge Cable for Samsung Galaxy S III -So this one isn't exactly for the iphone 5, for obvious reasons, but I need it badly for my Samsung s3's external battery charger.

Price:	$7.45

Note: Free shipping when purchased from AccessoryPost.  Not eligible for Amazon Prime.

Technical Details

• Highest Quality OEM Home Wall Travel AC Charger Adapter for your Samsung Galazy S3 - Durable cord for extendable reach and use.
• Genuine Samsung Travel Charger with Detachable micro USB Cable. Travel charger plugs into any standard wall outlet.
• This Charger Adapter is the perfect Solution for your Smartphone that can provide up to 1.0 Ampere of Current which other chargers are not capable of.
• Compact Size and Lightweight for Portability and Easy Storage. (Adapter's Dimension Excluding the Plug: 1 x 1 x 1 Inch)
• Rating: 1.0A

5.)Samsung OEM 3.5mm Stereo Headset with Remote and Microphone for Samsung Galaxy S3 S III and Other Smartphones - White 

Again, not for my Iphone 5 though it's a 3.5mm universal jack. Need it as a replacement earphones for my s3, as my naughty dog chew through the one included in the box. BAD DOG!

Coach factory sale December 2011 Vs. December 2012

Every end of the year, around December 26 till January 1, Coach would send out mass emails to their loyal customers for their announcement of their BIGGEST factory clearance sale of the year. It is through exclusive email invites only for their online factory sale, but their physical store would probably have the same price as the ones in the website.

I will be comparing two consecutive years where we have purchased several bags and wallets through their online clearance sale.



December 28, 2011


We thought that purchase was well worth it, considering those bags cost $380 at their original price & dropped to $139.30, and the wallets at $218 dropped to $69.30. We had to pay for shipping $8.50 and tax at $43.14. All in all we thought it was a good deal. My cousin had to purchase it for me, as coach will only accept credit cards with a U.S billing address. The shipping address was also sent to her home address in the U.S. From there, we had it shipped VIA sea cargo, as I've mentioned from previous post, I'm not a fan of sea cargo, but had to because my cousin was also sending goods to her family in the Philippines that were quite heavy. It took about 2.5 months before the shipment arrived in the Philippines. You can just imagine my anxiety. I wanted my damned bags! Below is the order form.







This year the online factory clearance sale started a little bit early, December 26, 2012. Hand picked my items which took about 12 hours give or take, and had my cousin purchase it for me again the following day, but this time the shipping address that we used is my chosen forwarding company's address, and opted for AIR shipping (Never want to wait 2.5 months again). I was so happy it accepted the shipping address at first. So come December 28, 2012, we checked the status and it said, ORDER CANCELLED, (*sniff). We called coach, and the agent said it was because of the shipping address. I was literally fighting back tears as I was scared my well-chosen bags were sold out, coz it really does go quickly, but was lucky that 3 out of 5 items were still available, the other 2 was just a small $62 bag and a cheap $20 wallet, so I wasn't really disappointed to see that it sold out. I just replaced it with a bigger bag of same value. Funny enough, last year, we bought the bags December 28, 2011, & this year, because of the mishap with the shipping address, the final purchase date is December 28, 2012. I think it wasn't a coincidence, was really meant to happen that way.


Anyway, 2012 end of year sale was much nicer, bigger savings. Unlike last year, they now offered free shipping on orders $150 above, plus, another 10% off at checkout, as well as invite a friend through email, and when they buy something, you get another $10 off. Of course you can't run away from sales tax. Check the order form below.






Sneak peak:

Not the best time to shop for watches?

Almost a year ago, I gushed at how I loved this watch. January 2012, the sale price was around $183.95...Upon checking today, December 30, 2012, I was surprised to see that the current sale price is  $306.00, about $122.05 more expensive than what was listed before. A good thing for those who bought it at the old sale price, not good for those who wants to buy it now.

Bulova Women's 98R107 Diamond Accented Calendar Watch

4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)

List Price:	$425.00
Price:	$306.00 & eligible for Free Returns
You Save:	$119.00 (28%)

In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. 

Warranty: Bulova 3-year warranty 

• Quality Japanese-quartz movement
• Mineral crystal
• Case diameter: 26 mm

 

JANUARY 2012 WATCH SALE

     I've always loved Bulova watches! Whenever I browse through amazon.com, I always check out the latest price and designs on Bulova watches. Purchasing an expensive watch at half the price is definitely the best part.

 BULOVA WOMEN'S WATCH STARTS AT $29.99

BULOVA MEN'S WATCH STARTS AT $47.09

My personal favorite is this diamond accented watch, check out the price!

Bulova Women's 98R107 Diamond Accented Calendar Watch

List Price:	$399.00
Price:	$183.95 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details
You Save:	$215.05 (54%)

 I seriously needed a new watch, and figured, 2012 should be a good year to replace my old too expensively bought and completely not-worth-it fossil watch.  It was only a "swarovski" accented leather watch. I bought it during the hype of the ultra big leather watches that screamed, "TIME!". Although I still think it's pretty, the fact that I overpaid for it really bums me out. It cost me $202.00 or P8,900. I could've had a nicer watch for a cheaper price.

MY FAVORITE ONLINE SHOPS:

1.)AMAZON.COM - I've bought so many things from clothes, to watches, bags, electronics and pet supplies in amazon.com, and so far so good, I've never had a problem with shipping, damaged goods, or whatnot. Amazon offers so many products, and at least for me, their online shop is almost complete, product-wise. More importantly, amazon accepts international credit cards! I pay my items using my internationally issued C.C, and have it shipped to my country via my favorite & trusted forwarding company, either via air or sea cargo.

2.)NORDSTROM.COM- Just like amazon.com, nordstrom has made a name for itself in the online shopping world. They also accept C.C's that have an international billing address. Product-wise, well, they're more into clothes, accessories, shoes and the likes. I feel like they should've & could've offered more. Never had a problem with their shipping service, and never had any damaged goods sent to me.

3.)CIRCUITCITY.COM- Electronics, circuitcity.com is one of my favorites when it comes to laptops and gadgets. They have a lot of electronic products that you can choose from, but like I said, my first priority when I go online shopping is to check their method of payment, and yep, they accept credit cards with an international address, and you can also check out with PAYPAL.

4.)VICTORIA'S SECRET.COM- Lingerie, VS products is my favorite when it comes to my intimate necessities. They're also the first online shop I visit when I need to replace my worn 3 yr old leopard undies. Do they accept international C.C's? Yes!

ONLINE SHOPPING 101

Okay, so you want to try online shopping? 

Things to consider:

1.) Credit Card/Paypal payments- Most U.S. based website accepts credit cards (Mastercard/Visa) or Paypal but normally require a U.S billing address. So please check before finalizing your order. I can assure you that amazon.com accepts Philippine issued C.C's (BPI, BDO, EASTWEST BANK,SECURITY BANK) it's the shipping address that's a bit tricky.

2.) Shipping address- Do your research about forwarding companies based in the U.S where you can have the items you bought online shipped directly to them(U.S based address), and they'll have it delivered to you in the Philippines. You can choose between sea cargo or air cargo, depending on the service that the forwarding company is offering. 

3.) Shipping cost- It's not exactly cheap to have items shipped from the U.S to the Philippines. Some forwarding companies charge per POUND(LBS.), some per the size of the box. 

     AIR CARGO-The cheapest one I've used so far is $5.99 per pound (air cargo) with a 2 pound minimum, so if your item only weighed in at 1 lb., be prepared to pay the amount equal to 2 lbs, and this does not include a 12% charge for vat, and a $5 handling fee..A total of $18.42 shipping cost for a 1-2 lbs item. The weight of the BOX used to store your goods is also included in the weighing process, so it can really get expensive. 

• PRO'S-Takes only one to two weeks delivery time for your item to get to the Philippines. 
•  
• CONS-Shipping fee can be quite expensive, specially if your item is heavy. No consolidation. They will ship as they receive your order.

     SEA CARGO-I'm not a big fan of having my items shipped via sea cargo as it takes such a  long time to arrive in P.I. Average time frame is 1.5 months, sometimes even 2 months. A small box would cost an estimate of $30. Sounds more expensive than air cargo? Not really, with sea cargo, you can CONSOLIDATE items, this would be perfect if you're planning on getting more than one item, or ordering from several websites. Normally, air cargo will be shipped as soon as your forwarding company receives them, they will NOT wait for your other orders. Sea cargo waits for each and every item you order and pack them altogether in a box, waiting period is around 30 days (as I'm told by my brother who has his mind set at having his goods shipped via sea cargo). 

• PRO'S-Consolidating orders is allowed (max 30 days). Cheaper shipping fee.
• CONS-1.5 to 2 months average shipping time frame from U.S to the Philippines.