Friday, May 16th, 2008
You’re excited. You just got your new handbag. You spend days, nights, hours, maybe even months picking out the perfect one. And for those of you who are like me, saving up part of my salary each month just for that one perfect designer bag. Then one day, you’re sporting it down the street and KAPUTT! Something breaks! Your first reaction, “WHAT THE HECK!”
Now, what do you do? First find out what the warranty policy from the manufacturer. If you bought it from a department store, it’s highly unlikely that they can do anything for you. Either way you’ll have to contact the manufacturer. Check to see if there is a registration and a warranty card that already came with you bag when you first bought it. It will give you the appropriate contact information and what their policy covers.
Most handbags range from one year to five years and luggages range from five years to life time warranty. Most of the time the manufacturer won’t cover normal wear and tear, but they will cover a defect that has clearly nothing to do with you.
Steps to Make Sure Your Bag Gets Fixed:
1. Look for and keep warranty cards
- Read it and store it in a safe place- don’t just toss it in the trash!
2. Register your Handbag.
- If you bag didn’t come with a registration card, it’s okay-you can simply go to the manufacturers website and most of them will have a place for you to register you bag. This will help if you ever need to send your bag back for repair because they will already have it on record.
3. Find the appropriate contact numbers
- CALL someone before you send anything back. By calling, you can check to make sure what the return procedures are to get your bag repaired. You might also need a case number and an address. This ensures that you can track you bag.
4. Take pictures of your bag
- You want photos of you bag and the part that was damaged. It serves as proof just in case anything happens, lost, or is confused later on.
5. Follow up
- Make sure to follow up on your bag and keep records. Make sure you insure and place a tracking number on your bag when you ship it back. When you talk to a representative, ask them for a ballpark time of when you bag will be finished and returned. This way if it’s months and you haven’t heard from them, it’s time to give them and call and check up on them.
** Watch out for hidden fees. Some companies like COACH charge $20 for shipping and handling for EACH item submitted for repair. Applicable state taxes apply as well. If you’re unsure ASK!**
Thursday, May 15th, 2008
First off, if you are a cat person, then don’t even bother reading my post! “I’m just kidding.” I really truly love puppies. I think they are the most adorable creatures on this planet; with an exception to Ryan Seacrest. But anyways, today I am going to tell you about the new TSA Puppy program that just started only about a month ago.
The use of dogs for sniffing out bomb threats at airports is not too unfamiliar nowadays. However, looks may be deceiving; because behind those cute innocent little puppy eyes is a trained bomb searching assassin. These puppies are trained by experts to get rid of their annoying habits such as barking, begging, biting, jumping, digging, etc. Believe it or not, these puppies have grown up to be true defenders of our country.
These little puppies have been doing so well that the United States government currently owns 500 canine bomb scouting teams. Rumor has it that within two years time, another 400 teams will arise. You can become a foster parent for these puppies.
Foster parents help to socialize the puppies with humans. However the TSA Puppy Program needs volunteers to adopt these puppies into their families. Currently, many puppies are sent over to prisons like the Travis County Jail in Austin. The nice thing is that the puppies are only rewarded to the inmates that have been good. 
Wednesday, May 14th, 2008
Purses and handbags have become essential in our society of overpopulated women. A typical modern purse today holds AT LEAST a wallet (or two), keys and cell phone. Then for the kicks of it, we throw in a small cosmetic bag, some pepper spray, a digital camera, a planner, a few pens, a coin purse, and last but not least our favorite scented lotion.
Luckily, all women were created differently—some choose to carry fewer items in their bags while others choose to lug an elephant in their purses. Unfortunately, many of the items in our handbags should be categorized as extras rather than necessities. It is true that a woman can possibly get rid of her curling iron and save approximately 3 pounds of unnecessary weight. However, I guess one’s curls may get untangled. The thing that women tend to forget is that big purses already consist of a hefty weight.
It’s been said that women should not carry any more than 10% of her body weight on her shoulder. For those of us who carry laptops, it is very easy to go over that ten percent. Our modern technology is improving by the day, for ladies are able to save some weight by using their Motorola RAZR and pocket Sony Cybershot digital camera. Handbags these days have become larger and more decorative (consisting of heavy chains and hardware). However, carrying too much weight on one’s shoulder or on one’s back may have its consequences.
Carrying heavy bags may lead to neck spasms, shoulder damage, lower back pain, and at times can lead to scoliosis. Though one may not be able to notice these symptoms instantaneously, one’s mood may be affected by this type of discomfort and pain. So women out there, I hope that this little write-up will remind us ladies to clean out purses or bags every once in a while.
*Future shopping tip: Next time when shopping for a purse, try choosing a bag with wider straps and make sure the bag does not hang too low (exceeding below one’s belly button).
Monday, May 12th, 2008
In a girl’s life a day without your phone is like a day lost in the desert. In this day and age can you really survive more than a few hours without your phone? Granted, that depends on your line of work as well, but if you are like me I need a good phone as bad as I need good purse. I was excited to hear a few days ago that Research in Motion, better known as the makers of the popular cellular phone brand Blackberry, announced the eagerly awaited Blackberry Bold (Blackberry 9000). I can’t wait!
But, what about the Apple iPhone you say? I can honestly say that both are great phones and the main difference people will be comparing is the full touch screen on the iPhone versus the built in keyboard on the Blackberry. With a full touch screen the iPhone has a clear advantage at being a media player and a web browser however I still prefer the convenience of a physical keyboard for typing emails, entering calendar events / task list, and text messaging which I find myself doing more often.
Friday, May 9th, 2008
Let’s face it, now and days the truth of the matter is, we want our designer handbags and we want them at the lowest price that we can get them at. Because of this mentality more and more consumers have turned to places like EBay in search for the best bargain designer bag. Admit it, if you haven’t bought one on EBay, then you have at least looked at them on EBay.
So what’s the problem you ask? Well, how do you know if the Gucci bag you’re getting for $300 that was originally $1200 is real? While I personally haven’t purchased a designer handbag on EBay before, these are cautions tips and red-flags and were told to me when I was considering it.
1. Do your Research
- Physically go to the retail and department stores and check out the merchandise first hand. Feel the texture and familiarize yourself with the latest styles out by this designer. Look into the company. Where are their factories? Where are the majority of the bags made?
2. More is not Better
- Great! You know the bag you want and you found a listing on EBay. But WAIT! Check to make sure the same seller hasn’t listed the same item multiple times. IF he/she has it’s a sign that what’s they’re selling is a fake.
3. Home Country
- Where is the item coming from? Be careful to see if the seller is from overseas. Stay clear of bags coming straight from overseas, but be aware that most designer bags do have factories in third world countries such and China and Italy.
4. Exercise Active Reading Skills
- Leave the “I don’t want to read” attitude behind. When shopping on EBay, EVERY word COUNTS. Be careful of descriptions such as “Designer Brand (insert name) inspired” or “just like designer brand (insert name)”. This can be tricky and problematic later when you want to file a claim against the person for selling you a fake bag.
5. Be Anal
- Look for as many items as possible to support the authenticity of the bag. Designer bags usually come with tags, booklets, care cards, and warranty cards. Also ask for the designer tissue paper, the dust bag, and gift boxes that come with the bag when purchased at an authorized reseller store. Even go as far to ask if they kept their purchase or gift receipt.
6. 20/20 Vision
- Make sure there are pictures! Then make sure they’re crystal CLEAR! The more pictures the better. Are they just images on the website or where they physically taken? Many of the ones that are taken manually will include the Seller’s ID in the picture. Look at the quality and consistency of stitching in these pictures. Also look for pictures with the serial numbers, patches and designer engravings. Beware of Photoshop! IF IN DOUBT ASK FOR MORE AND CLEARER PICTURES!
7. Interrogate the Seller
- Look for seller’s return and exchange policy. You want MONEY BACK guarantee. Make sure they offer safe methods of payments such as PayPal. Buy from sellers that offer insurance and tracking.
8. Slow down Horsey
- Many counterfeits auctions end early, so beware of auctions that only last 1-3days. Be wary of PRIVATE listings. Why can’t you see their ID, unless they’ve got something to hide? Look at shipping costs as well. If they have an inflated amount and their policy doesn’t include the cost of shipping in their refund, you might want to reconsider.
9. CONFIRM ALL INFORMATION WITH THE SELLER.
10. If in doubt ask questions. There is no such thing as too many or a stupid one.
Truthfully, I’ve seen auctions for designer handbags and the amount they end at, and usually you really don’t save that much from even retail stores. If anything you might end up paying more. So, word of the wise- try the outlets first for your designer bag. It just may be cheaper and you’ll save yourself the worry in the long run- cuz peace of mind is worth a lot these days.
Wednesday, May 7th, 2008
Ever since the outbreak of 9-11, USA has been implementing stringent procedures to protect its citizens of America. If you had a chance to fly out of your local airport lately, you probably noticed that it is no longer a convenient means of transportation.
First things first, airlines have recently started a new policy where passengers are only allowed ONE extra baggage to be checked in under the plane. Any extra baggage would be subject to a hefty fee. And that isn’t the worst of the matter; the bag must not exceed 50 pounds in weight unless you are willing to pay $25.00 USD for every overage pound. If your bag is considered over-sized then you will need to take them to a special x-ray machine for examination upon completion of checking in to your flight. Upon completion of checking in to your flight, there are several more nuisances that follow.
After you receive your boarding pass, you are allowed to head towards the security checkpoint (where at times it can be a bit frustrating). Before you can load your belongings (each passenger is only allowed to carry on with them one luggage and one bag) onto the x-ray machines, you must pass the security checkpoint stand. This checkpoint requires a TSA security officer to examine your ID or passport and boarding pass before proceeding to the x-ray machines. If everything looks okay, the guard will stamp your boarding pass and you may continue to proceed to the x-ray machines.
When you reach the x-ray machines, you must make sure that you remove your shoes, coats or sweaters, and laptop computers. Laptop computers must be separated and put into a tray by itself. After you have loaded all your belongings into the machine, you have to go through a metal detector with your boarding pass in hand, for there is another guard waiting to check your boarding pass again as soon as you pass through the metal detector. And if all goes well, you can gather your belongings, put on your shoes and finally head towards your gate for departure (that is only if by this time you haven’t already missed your flight).
Next week, I will be talking about the cute TSA puppies that seek out bomb threats.
Monday, May 5th, 2008
For those of you who aren’t already familiar with the Mexican holiday, this is not a new flavor of mayonnaise. And for those of you who thought it was Mexican Independence Day you are wrong as well. Cinco de Mayo is Spanish for “5th of May” and commemorates initial victory of the Mexican forces over the French forces on May 5th 1862. For those of you who are curious Mexican Independence Day is actually September 16th. But in the public eye, September 16th seems to meld into May 5th, and thus everyone celebrates it as so. So happy Cinco de Mayo everyone, its time to start drinking!
Sunday, May 4th, 2008
Mothers of the world rejoice this time of year when their children shower them with gifts and affection. But why is it that everyone usually gets their mother’s the same thing? This mother’s day, I thought I would get my mom something out of the ordinary. Instead of the usual flowers and chocolates or a day at the spa, I thought I would go for something different, so I got her the Betsey Carrier from Rioni’s New Rosette Collection. I know she doesn’t have anything like it so I am sure she would love it. The metallic leopard print is the coupled with gloss coated leather. It’s the perfect playful bag to add to her collection. In fact, I may order one for myself as well. Oh, and for those of you who like to wait until the last minute, you might still be able to call in your order and have them overnight it to you.
Thursday, May 1st, 2008
I was talking to one of my girlfriends the other day as she was telling me that she was selling her beloved Gucci bag on Craigslist. I was so surprised! She loves that bag, but I found out that her and her boyfriend just broke up and he bought it for her. So now she is ridding her life of everything that reminded her of him.
That got me thinking…should boyfriends buy nice things for their girlfriends? I mean it would be nice, but when you break up, it becomes a reminder of the relationship that was. Personally I think handbags are the great in between to give a girlfriend and if you end up breaking up with them you won’t think that it cost you an arm and a leg.
I guess the best way to go is…guys buy nice things for your women, but you don’t need to over-do it, just in case we break up! But remember we LOVE our handbags and shoes.
Wednesday, April 30th, 2008
First off, I have to say: “Wow!” Secondly, I need to take in a couple of deep breaths and say: “Really?” And lastly, just to test that I’m not dreaming, I have to pinch myself. But to such great dismay, I am still awake in the real world…
I guess you can say this is a very different/one of a kind handbag. But honestly, would you wear this to a restaurant or perhaps to a mall? Wouldn’t it be silly if one day the gardener mistakenly took your handbag thinking it was actually a watering can? As stupid as it may seem, it could truly happen. We girls love to fill our bags with so much stuff that it actually can feel as heavy as a watering can filled with water. So, who really would buy this bag then?
Well, I guess this bag is for those who like to be the center of attention. The responses that these gals should expect from wearing this bag are smiles on good days and laughter on bad days. So, why not carry this bag; at least you made somebody smile or even brought in some extra laughter into this world.
Rioni Blog viewers, what is your take on this watering can handbag?
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