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Please note: Gmarket has a new URL for its international version. If you fill your cart in the old URL (global.gmarket.co.kr) you will find an error message as soon as your cart contains 8 or more items thus you will not be able to place your order.
Please go to this site to order etc.
After ordering I noticed that each item had its own tracking number (for the local transport)... so I remembered that seller who used to sell Banila Co some months ago but stopped it. He shipped every darn item (even eyeliner or other tiny items) in its own box.
So I checked my order history and yep, it was that seller. OMG I knew I had to expect a huge box for the few items I ordered =X
I also remember that this particular seller forgot to send me some freebies that were supposed to come with the items so I started to suspect if I would really get those cool gifts advertised as freebies for ordering 5 or more items (a free highlighter, body cream and other stuff)... and after all I don't read Korean so maybe I had to buy 5 items from the Gossip Girl collection to qualify?
Anyway, on Tuesday a huge box arrived (as expected) and inside I found 8 smaller boxes:
How stupid is that (especially as each box increases the total weight thus the shipping is higher)?
Anyway, as expected they only drowned me in cotton pads and Prime Primer samples but the really cool stuff was missing.
I don't want to sound greedy but I wasn't going to order so much stuff if I didn't think the cute items would be included. And knowing Korean brands I know that they're normally super generous with freebies (though it's decreasing a little...Etude House limited the number of freebies drastically, too)
I contacted Gmarket and they replied that the seller replied that only cotton pads and samples are given as free gifts.
If someone can read Korean would you please leave a comment and enlighten me how to get the gifts? Thanks! (Click to enlarge)
Anyway, away from the little disappointment the items are really nice as always from Banila Co. Quality-wise I'd say Banila Co is my personal rank #1 when it comes to Korean brands now (due to quality, packaging, pricing, frequency of really nice new releases)!
I got:
-The Mineral Surprise Essential Serum (I finished my other bottle months ago so it was about time to get this...it's sooo good!)
-Prime Primer
-Secret Highlighter in Star
-It Fresh Cleansing Balm
-De La Couture Moisture Body Lotion
-Banila Kiss Gloss
-Love Holic Gloss in Love Holic
-Banila Lip Color Balm
-Kiss Collector Color Fix lipstick in Jane
-Dual Fiber Brush
Reviews will follow later
20 comments:
uh...that is really stupid, shipped all in boxes ;/
will u do swatches about the banila? they seems very pretty..
hope they cheer u up
happy ^__^
aww too bad you were disappointed.
I read Korean and the numbers written don't mean the numbers of items you order. It's the amount of money you spend. so it's like over 30,000KRW, 50,000KRW, and 80,000KRW. so what you thought as more than 5 items is actually more than 50,000KRW. But it sure looks like you got more than 50,000KRW worth of stuff. isn't it true? Oh also it says the freebies are given starting from March 5th to "until we run out of freebies" so maybe that's the reason you didn't get any. :(
Hi Naomi,
thanks for the info! I spent over 100000 Won so I definitely qualified for the GWP =( I am really pissed!
I ordered before 5th of March which showed the same picture but with a little different freebies (but same values etc. as it seems) so I should have qualified for that GWP at least!
Thanks again!
Kathi
oh can i ask abt The Mineral Surprise Essential Serum?
i'm trying to search through ur archives for it
also gmarket is odd lately
i order something almost 1.5 weeks ago but i havent even gotten it, they usually ship immediately
at this rate, i'll be going korea before they even send it T-T
oh no, I feel so bad for you, great that Naomi was able to help you out..but gosh! with the amount of money you spent you should have gotten really cool freebies.
And the way they ship it, I would feel bad!!!
Wow, the seller is so dishonest! I'm glad I waited for your review first before I place my order. And those boxes is one of the reason I hate ordering from Gmarket! I don't know if I should order or not now, ggrr..
Hi Yumeko,
I reviewed it here...Though it's a rather short review for my standards lol
http://lotuspalace.blogspot.com/2008/07/banila-co-mineral-surprise-essential.html
I also reviewed the other items from that range here:
http://lotuspalace.blogspot.com/2008/09/banila-co-mineral-surprise-skincare.html?showComment=1222090380000
I really love this stuff!
Yea Gmarket is a bit weird these days...
I had several items canceled, some sellers stopped shipping internationally etc. =( Though my newest order (new Etude House stuff and some Tony Moly) will ship tomorrow and I just ordered a few days ago (I think Tuesday or Monday?)
And have a great time in Korea! I am so jealous lol!
Hi Ning,
yes I will review all Banila items incl. swatches soon =D
Hi Askmewhats,
yea all those boxes for those few items! Very stupid!
Hi Cavano,
if you want to order Banila Co I'd use the seller anyway...unless you find another one on Gmarket! I still would rather get lots of boxes and no gifts than paying 100% jacked up prices from eBay hehe =P
But I am naturally very annoyed that I actually qualified for the GWP but the seller refuses to ship
it to me. Might be they don't send it to international customers?
Kathi
Language is one reason why I avoid Gmarket. I have missing package from Korea too. The ebay seller is sending over a replacement, hopefully it eventually reach me. =/
Hey Kathi,
I know theres another seller on gmarket that sells banila co products but they don't have the latest gossip girl line. The seller is skinrx.
Thanks for telling us that gmarket changed to a new site cause for the longest time i thought there was something wrong with my computer.
I noticed that you always buy in big hauls, did you ever get taxed by customs? I'm always afraid Canada customs will tax me.
O gosh, so sorry about the dissapointment. I prefer to order from Gmarket because the extras are such a huge plus, and if they are lacking (even when advertised) it can be a small downer.
I kind of regret not ordering the Banilla mineral serum you blogged about. If you like a product so much that you reorder, I figure it must be really good.
Oh, I can order it next time.
Hi Kathi,
I'm in Korea and when you shop in stores, Banila Co tend not to give out a lot of extra freebies, only the cotton pads and skincare sample sachets like you received. However buying online from their website is where they give you lots of the free stuff, and the image you posted looks like a screen shot from their website. It may be that the G Market seller bought the stuff in-store which is why they didn't have any extras to give. (Although in that case they obviously shouldn't have used that picture).
Anyway, hope you enjoy the haul either way.
hi kathi,
i had one of my coteachers translate the picture for you.
she said the numbers are the certain amount you gotta spend before you get the items. same as what naomi had mentioned.
i think that's strange because your items look like they're well over 30000won! it doesn't specify what you need to buy though.
there's no expiry date either, it started on march 5th. i have a feeling it's limited time offer, but most of the makeup stores here that i noticed rarely run out that quickly.
if i pass by a banila, i'll take a look for you. the mall i go to every weekend for groceries has a banila store. if they still have the free items with purchase, i'll let you know.
my teacher also mentioned that one of the free gifts is soap hehe.
hope that helps!
that must have been a big pain in the butt.
Hi Kathi
so sorry to hear the disappointment
however, I just saw a blogger she bought only four secret blushers from the seller wizwid02 and got a full-sized color couture blusher and a heart-shaped box as gwps. so i think the other seller is kinda dishonest on the gwps.
How much does your shipping cost? I wanna to order something really small, one earring, it cost like 10 dollars for shipping and when I want to add a lipstick from Etude, it was like 20 dollars for shipping
I have heard way too much dishonest sellers at G-market. Hence a pre-warning to keen buyers.
Sellers from gmarket does not sell authentic stuff, sells pdts that are near expiry, keep the GWPs for themselves etc...
Anyway, when I was in Korea, an Etude house staff told me buying on their website is cheaper than at their retail shops. BUT when i ask my Korean friends, they mention its cheaper to buy direct at the retail shop. Now can anyone tell who is CORRECT??? -_-""
TIA!
*Ms. CONFUSED*
hi kathi,
i am a big follower of your site, just recently though so i haven't read all your post yet, it's gonna take me some time. i am also a fan of korean products. I get my items from my sister who happens to live there. I also love etude house, missha, the face shop, clio and all that. I havent tried ordering at Gmarket but my sister does, it's just too hard for me to order there as most of the time a korean language will pop up. anyway.... thanks for all the good review.
Liza
http://kikaypinay.multiply.com/
Hi Beautybitch and MiuMiu,
yea I spend way over 30000 Won (quite a bit over 100000 to be precise lol)... =( I am really pissed.
Thanks for your comments!! They help me understanding the whole gift thing more =D
eKathi I don't think you should buy from this asshole anymore. If he is just using Banila pictures he should not be using the the Banila promo pics making you believe you will be getting gifts!!
And the extra packaging is just moronic.
A friend of mine is going to Korea soon so I am just going to write her a long list to buy stuff. I am interested in purchasing but not from him.
Thanks for the blog though. I am really getting interested in the marbled eyeshadows but just have no idea what kind of colours they will be when swatched... um...
hi! there :>
actually, im wrk @ Gmarket ENG
im really impress frm ur blog lol ur so amazing!
i hope to contact w/u
plz email me
tinakoo@gmarket.co.kr
thx! =>
hello! i need your help with ordering some stuff from gmarket!
thing is, the seller apparently doesn't ship internationally, is there any way at all that i can get around that? i really want the items!
maybe there's ath like shipping to an address in korea and then shipping overseas from there?
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