網購:教你如何做精明"海淘族"
Everyone who knows Olivia Griffiths is impressed by her unique sense of style. Whenever she walks into a room, heads turn. Her friends wonder where she buys her scarves made from the finest Chinese silk. Or how she managed to snag the new Mulberry satchel that no one had thought was available in Australia yet.
每一個認識奧利維亞·格里菲思的人都會對她獨特的穿衣品味印象深刻。每次她走進房間總是能引起別人的關注。朋友們都想知道：她是在哪裏買到上等的絲綢圍巾？又是如何搶到在澳洲還沒有發售的Mulberry新款皮包的？
The truth is that Olivia has never left Australia. But with a few clicks of her computer mouse, she can travel to shopping destinations around the world.
事實上，奧利維亞從沒離開過澳洲，但她只需輕擊幾下電腦鼠標，便能前往世界各地的購物天堂。
Online shopping has revolutionized the consumer experience. With the help of an increasing number of online shops overseas, shoppers can now pick up interesting goods made in exotic locations all over the world.
網購已經使消費者的購物體驗發生了革命性的變化。隨着國外網店數量的增多，如今購物者可以搜遍全球，挑選自己喜歡的異國商品。
The biggest advantage of shopping on foreign websites is the wide range of choices available. For example, Chinese shoppers are often frustrated when Gap products are not available locally. But now it’s possible to order these products straight from the US with a credit card and a small delivery fee.
在國外網站購物的最大優勢便是選擇範圍很廣。例如，國內消費者常常因爲買不到一些還未在大陸發售的GAP款式而失望。而如今，只需要一張信用卡再加上一小筆運費，你便可以直接從美國訂購這些商品了。
Other benefits of online shopping include competitive prices. When items are bought online from other countries, they’re often tax-free.
網購的一大好處便是價格合理。當你海淘時，這些商品通常都是免稅的。
However, when you buy things from a foreign website, things can get tricky too. So make sure you pay extra attention to protecting your rights.
然而，海淘也可能會出現一些棘手的麻煩。所以你要特別注意維權。
Sometimes it can be difficult to navigate foreign websites because of the unfamiliar language. For example, the term “shipped in 1-5 working days” can be confusing for Chinese shoppers, as it doesn’t clarify whether this is the time in which the product will arrive or the time it takes for it to be processed.
由於語言不通，瀏覽國外網站有時很困難。例如，“1到5個工作日發貨”這一條款令中國消費者十分費解，因爲分不清這是指商品送達的時間還是指訂單處理的時間。
The method of shipping can also determine whether you get your product at all. Unless you choose expedited or priority shipping, which only takes a few days to deliver but is more expensive, most standard international shipping doesn’t offer a tracking option ― which means once your products are shipped outside of the country there’s no way of finding out where they are.
送貨方式也是讓商品成功送達的關鍵。除非你選擇加急送貨或優先送達，這樣商品只需數日便能送達，當然費用也更高。常見的國際航運商大都不會提供包裹跟蹤服務——這就意味着你購買的商品一旦運送出境，根本無法掌握它的蹤跡。
Since not every overseas online retailer chooses major delivery companies like DHL or FedEx, it’s even possible for your package to get lost.
並非所有的國外網絡零售商都會選擇像DHL或FedEx這類的大型快遞公司，你的包裹甚至有可能會寄丟。
So pay attention to the expected delivery date and keep in touch with the company’s customer service. If your products don’t arrive by the delivery date the company promised, you can request a reshipment or refund.
所以，留心商品預計送達的日期並與商家的客服保持聯繫。如果你的商品在商家承諾的日期內沒有送達，你可以要求重新發貨或是退款。
The best consumers are the most savvy ones. If you’re interested in expanding your shopping territory to foreign websites, make sure you do your research beforehand to avoid your money and products being lost on the way.
最用心的消費者才最精明。如果你有意進軍海淘，那麼最好事先做些研究，免得財物兩空。
