Saturday 11 June 2011

Korea Shopping Service Konlinehouse/Pinkbox Watertonkorea Review

For those considering using this Korea purchasing service, here is a review.
These 2 websites are the same, under the same person (Ms Park).

I used Konlinehouse twice.

Is the service reliable? 

The first time, the e-mail response was fast. My enquiries were replied quickly and completely with full price quotes. Full price means all charges including EMS airmail fee. This was convenient, and I could pay using Paypal.


Now according to the Konlinehouse website, for their buying service, it says:
We take 20~25% of buying service fee only from items, not total invoice. and no other service fee won't added for shipping service. Item Total amount US$200 less will be applied 25%, Over US$200 will be applied 20%

The price quote I received for the first items were favorable. Doing the calculations, her buying fee was 25% for 9 items that came up to quite an amount (but under US$200).

Payment can be transferred in 2 parts: the first for the items' cost and buying fee. And second for the EMS which can be paid once she receives the items at her end.

The order was placed right after payment. And once she received the items, she would let me know and then tell me if everything is correct before mailing out.

After paying for the EMS, she sent out the items pretty quickly as well, with tracking number.

In a few days, I received the items. Her airmail fee was correctly priced. And the box she used was light and the perfect size that fitted everything in.

A smooth transaction. So, you could say it's reliable and affordable.

However.


Now, she didn't know I run a small buying and re-selling business. Buying through her the first time was fine because everything was according to my calculations.

The second and third time, when I asked for the price quotes, she had increased the buying service fee without informing me. I didn't know this, and wondered why I wasn't making any profit the second time even though I had factored in her fee.

Without knowing, I had paid for the 2nd time, taking her quotation as it were, assuming that it was the same as the first time.

The airmailed package with 3 handbags was excellent, light and just perfect, like the first time.


The 3rd time when I asked for a quote on 2 or 3 items, I still didn't know about the increased buying fee.

She gave me a quote, but due to some changes at my end, I had to take out an item one at a time. Her reply took longer than usual. And subsequently, never replied for a week or more.

Just as I assumed she was not interested in taking in an order of 1 item, she suddenly replied with a quote.

That's when I started looking more carefully at her quote, doing the calculations and realizing that her buying fee had increased to 30%. Surprised by this, I went to check on the calculation for the 2nd time, and realized that the quote at that time, had already increased to 30% without my knowledge.

Why? 

I felt this was a cheat. If she wanted to increase the buying fee for whatever reason, she should let the buyer know. Why quietly slip it into the quote after the first time? What was the meaning of this?

30% is a lot. 25% is already a lot just for a buying service. I felt she wasn't honest by doing this.

I didn't e-mail her about it, since the first 2 times were already over. The 3rd time, she took so long to reply with a quote that the item was not needed any more. And with her quiet increase of the buying fee, there wasn't any need to continue using her service.

If you notice, there are 3 websites that are the same. One of them explains the "origin" of the "company", and the background of Ms Park who is stated as the "President". http://www.watertonkorea.com/

What is odd is the way the "company" has been publicizing itself: more than 1 free blogspot website where it blasts its service in rambling English that doesn't make sense, and in many forums with any discussion on buying from Korea (a "helpful" post would insert itself into a discussion on where to find a Korea shopping or purchasing service).

The way the advertising is done, also looks and sounds very desperate, rather than professional.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

omg...lucky i did saw ur blog>"<
did you found any others web which provide this service? if have and is trustable, please email and let me know @ double-l@live.com.my . thanks ^^

zinepin said...

I've sent to your e-mail. :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Zinepin,
I'm really shock read your blog, I was PinkBox or watertonkorea since 2009 and all is fine, the service fee around 20-25% depend the cost, if you buy more, maybe can get more discount also, anyway sometimes 20% for service fee is to much for me also, and until now I can find trustable deputy service beside PinkBoxm can you give me advice or sharing about information deputy service in korea, thank you and I'm really appreciate your help.
please email me : kttazure86@gmail.com

zinepin said...

Thanks for your comment. Have replied to your e-mail.

zinepin said...

If anyone is asking for tips/links to alternative Korea shopping websites, you'll need to look/search around for yourself.

It is after all, for your own benefit. Do a little work for yourself.

Someone just asked for freebie information and when I gave, she/he/it didn't even appreciate it and replied as if I'm the one begging to give her information.

Don't forget who was the one who asked first.

I throw her/him/it a line/crumb of information, it's already considered good.

Considering my limited patience these days, she's lucky I did not use my acid temper on her.

Anonymous said...

Hi Zinepin. I just saw your blog. I also thinking to use Pinkbox and they're already sent the quotation to me but I haven't pay them yet.
Anyway after see your blog I'm dot dare to use them.
Do u have another reliable agent ?
Please let me know @ oetanoojj@hotmail.com
Thankss :))

zinepin said...

Hi, e-mail sent to you. As mentioned, if the website is not suitable to you, feel free to search elsewhere.

min said...

Pinkbox and konlinehouse is different, pinkbox is oldest and konlinhouse was established by park she was one of staffs in pinkbox, and doing separatly part from pinkbox.and konlinehouse their service fee is 30% if the amount is less usd 30
And, 25%,20%▼that,s reasonable,i think.
Someone who buy usd10 and some who buy usd 200 , do you think, they should offer same percentage fee?
They are based on korea and trustable.

zinepin said...

Hello, Ms Park.

The problem is not about the % charge.

If you read the blog post, the problem is the dishonest increase in the % fee without informing the customer first.

At the moment, you have changed the % in the Konlinehouse website.

When I ordered from Konlinehouse, the website stated 20-25%. Not 30%. There was no mention of 30% at all (otherwise, I wouldn't have used the service).

The % fee quietly increased to 30% in my 2nd order without my knowledge.

twinktwink said...

hi zinepin,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with the korean buying service sites.

Have you used CollectKorea? Or do you know a better and trustable buying agent from Korea?

Please email me and let me know. :)

Thank you so much~

Anonymous said...

Hi, Im glad ive read your post. I was searching other korean shopping service and we are also in a business industry. Ive been searching for ages now. Ive seen other korean buying agent quoting 15-25% but i think its too much :( I have to calculate shopping service +transaction fees+shipping fees and even custom tax! If u know a reliable and cheap buying agent please do inform me please? i will realyy appreciate yur help thank u very much. lessquota@yahoo.com

zinepin said...


Review on "service" provided by "KC" who is spending temporary time in Korea at the moment.

Googling will show up the website.

1) Not Korean. She can't order from Korean stores. But she can order from actual stores.

2) Friendly but not reliable. I waited 2 days for a reply. 2nd e-mail, she was keen on asking for money but disappeared.

kgurucloud said...

Thank goodness i read your post. I was about to place an order. Could you please email me a reliable and Reasonable korean shopping service site? I Know Collectkorea is good based on reviews but they only accept Paypal for orders below a certain amount. :( Thank You
kayemin04@yahoo.com

zinepin said...

CollectKorea is actually very expensive. Their service fee is actually very high. Their quote is also not quite honest. Although, they do deliver the item/s.

Anonymous said...

Hello. :)
Do you have any other korean agents/korea buying service providers to recommend?
I have searched for quite a long time, but some of the links I found are all mentioned in your blog post. Haha! :)

Hi, you are from singapore right? Do you know of any korean agents in singapore then? Because all the links I found are all internationally, and only accepts paypal. :(

zinepin said...


E-mailed you about the spree site that accepts orders from any Korean website. They accept SG bank transfers and cash deposits.

zinepin said...

Anonymous said:

When I was googling for services for forwarders, saw your blogspot. Since it's 2 years ago, do you still have any trustable agents which can help order stuffs from korean website which don't ship internationally?

My email is kaiweichua@gmail.com
Hope to hear you soon
---------

zinepin's reply:

Hi, you missed out the "from" in your last sentence.

I'm sure you'll find or have found a trustworthy agent on your own. If it's the popular one, I've found that he charges more each time although he's reliable. I won't say which one.

I've stopped using Korean agents for a long time as I don't buy things from Korea anymore. Their skincare products don't work. Their fashion is expensive & sometimes from China.

lynn said...

hi dear. I've read your blog and found this reply on Korean agent accept sg bank transfers..wonder if you still remember the site? if you do, please share with me by sending to this email:purple.babyblue@Hotmail. com
I will be looking forward to your reply :)

zinepin said...

Hi, not sure which site you mean. But SG bank transfers (TT or telegraphic transfer) is expensive to transfer. You'll pay bank exchange rate + your side of transfer fee + recipient's side of transfer fee. You can ask your bank how much it costs to transfer.

huann said...

Hi! Finding for a reliable website to help purchase items. Please email me at kstyle_music@hotmail.com. thanks!

Anonymous said...

Hi,do you know of any korean agents in singapore? or any shipping service that helps to buy and ship to sg or just ship to sg?

Unknown said...

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