Ask Kuya Danny

[NoisyCricket]

Our counterpart to "Ask Green Grin"

Kuya Danny,

I posted my resume on the web, and a certain web design company which only does html, cgi scripts, and java, wants to hire me as a flash animator. (Coolness!)

They are asking me what my rates are.

1. What's a good way to negotiate for the best price?

2. Do you know of any banking system that will allow them to send the money here? I checked with Citibank, and you can open a dollar $$$ savings account here, and your clients can just go to the local Citibank (I assume there's one in Canada -- Calgary, Alberta to be more precise.), they give my bank account # here in Manila, and the Citibank there and the Citibank here do the rest. The only catch is that the MDB is $1,000. Yikes!!

Help!!! (Yours Truly, Noisy Cricket)

[KuyaDanny]

I don't know what has gotten into Noisy Cricket's head which made him think of starting something like this.
Cricket, are you taking anything besides vitamins?

I'd just like to remind everyone that despite what this thread's title implies, you're all free to join the discussions. This is a community and your inputs are valued.

[KuyaDanny]

1. When it comes to negotiating, information is power. So I'd start by finding out what other people in the same line of work would charge. Sorry, I am not in this market so I couldn't give you specific numbers, but other people in this community might be.

After you get the rates, you probably want to figure out what kind of pricing (premium, fat middle, discount) you want to charge. Are you Haagen-Dazs or Selecta? Banana Republic, Gap, or Old Navy? Keep in mind that you are not only competing against fellow Filipinos, but other people from the rest of the world.

My personal style would be to charge between low premium and high fat middle. Maybe give a little discount to get your foot in the door. When they see (and like????) your product then you can crank the rates up on future jobs.

2. Citibank is not the only way to get money sent here. Any commercial bank which allows you to open dollar accounts will also have the ability to get funds moved to your account (by telegraphic transfer or cable). The transfer costs money (about $30 a pop), but it's safe.

As to the minimum balance, I'm afraid that's a given unless you're already a big bank customer. If your parents have banking relationships with a bank you like, you might be able to swing a waiver of the minimum requirement by having your new account counted as part of the relationship.

At Union Bank, BTW, the minimum is $500 - you might want to shop around.

[Hot Pants]

Oist Kuya Danny. Wala lang kasi graduating na ako this year. And I can't wait to have a job. This is my question: I'm not really impressive in academics in my later years of college. Paano ko mai-impress ang ina-apply-an ko? I think I have enough confidence to show that I have capabilities. And just to tell you, I'm taking up B.S. Psychology. Ah basta ano sa tingin mo. Kahit anong advice.

[NoisyCricket]

Thanks, KD! Of course this isn't just a thread for me to post questions to you. THIS IS AN OPEN FORUM for all to Interrogate KD! hehehehe

I'll shop around then. Anyone know of good ways to receive funds from the states, right here in Manila?

*NC*

[brownpau]

Noisy Cricket: Got a credit card? Why not set up a merchant account and sell stuff online?

[makiling]

Originally posted by Noisy Cricket
Anyone know of good ways to receive funds from the states, right here in Manila?

*NC*

from the US you coould send funds via BPI Express Remittance Centers in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Jose or BPI New York. Cheaper than wire transfer.

[KuyaDanny]

If you don't mind, Hot Pants, I decided to answer your question in another thread you started which talks about a similar, and maybe the same, concerns.

[NoisyCricket]

Originally posted by brownpau
Noisy Cricket: Got a credit card? Why not set up a merchant account and sell stuff online?

How do I do that? (FreeMerchant.com?) Have you set up your own account? Does it work well?

Makiling,. Thanks! Would you know what the minimum balance requirement is at BPI? Much appreciated!

[NoisyCricket]

KD Hehehehe.. Pasensiya na't bubuhayin ko ang thread na ito ulit..

How much to ship a package (say a digital camera) via FedEx from the states to my doorstep? Assuming no time preference. It just has to get here in one piece.

Anyone know?

[batang uliran]

You can easily estimate the cost of shipping from the fedex site. B to C sites like amazon.com also allow you to partially check out an item (eg. digital camera in this case) and when you specify the location to be shipped, give the cost of shipping.

My guess would be between $50 and $100 depending on the size of the digital camera - and that's not including the possible taxes that might be levied.

[KuyaDanny]

FedEx has an online rate estimator. It costs about $65.00 to ship a 3-lb package from my brother's house in New Jersey to the Philippines.

But are you sure you want to do it this way? You'd be inviting the vultures and crocodiles (read: Bureau of Customs) to a smorgasbord.

It might be better to find a courier, such as a relative or friend going abroad and coming home, do to this job for you. If you feel guilty about asking the favor, then you can always offer to pay. I'd propose half the FedEx charges, to start.

[NoisyCricket]

KD (and Batang Uliran, thanks),

I have just discovered much to my dismay, that after much clarification with Citibank and Amazon.com regarding the purchase of a digital camera with my credit card, AMAZON.COM has just run out of stock of the item?

Why?

They seem to be the only online store that accepts international orders.

I called up Dell, and they said it was a felony to purchase US products using a non-US credit card (probably in the amount of my desired transaction?).

You have to be a US citizen to order US Goods. If you are trying to use a NON-US Credit card, I can only assume they make you pay taxes. SO MUCH FOR GLOBALIZATION! I have a STUPID international credit card which I CAN'T USE. The amount is well within my credit limit, yet online merchants will not allow me to purchase US Goods with a Non-US Credit card. CRAP!

I buy stuff from GAP and Amazon.com all the time, without having to pay what I think to be the US tax, although that's just for small items like books, and the occasional shirt as gifts for relatives abroad.

That's really crap in my opinion.

Meanwhile, the days till my cousin departs from California and makes it back to Manila is quietly ticking away.

And with the next batch of digital cameras from Amazon.com five weeks away, and no store allowing me to purchase a digital camera using my NON-US credit card, I guess I'm not getting a camera.

Felony my foot! Does anyone know where I can purchase online without paying some enormous international taxes!

And how come when you are abroad, you can buy things duty-free, and yet if you are here at home, they ADD on to the tax you have to pay across international borders, or just FLATLY REFUSE to sell you anything!!

AUGH!!!!!

I could use my cousin's credit card, but I want to avoid doing that. Jahe and medyo magulo.

Any suggestions, KD (BU?)?

[batang uliran]

Perhaps you could order from a large online camera shop that ships internationally? Like bhphoto.com? I've purchased several items from them before - their reputation is beyond reproach.

[NoisyCricket]

looks good so far.. can my billing address be different from shipping address?

Actually, that's all I need.

But in the US, and according to DELL, that's a FELONY!

[KuyaDanny]

That Dell guy is full of cr@p.

I routinely purchase from egghead.com and landsend.com. Billing address: Mandaluyong, shipping address: East Brunswick, NJ. I have entered US borders several times in the last five years and have never, NEVER been picked up for questioning. I don't think I'm a felon, but I think I'll give Sigfried Fortun a call just to make sure.

[batang uliran]

Of course your billing address can be different from the shipping address. In some instances, the credit card company may hold up the charge until they can call you and get verbal confirmation that you placed the order. If the transaction is relatively small (eg. less than $200) they probably won't even check.

BTW, KD, the next time you're in east brunswick you should send me an email - I live in Lawrenceville and work in New Bruswick - both places about 10 miles away from East Brunswick. I don't think you're a felon either.

[NoisyCricket]

My problem is really that 9 out of the ten shops that I check, 9 out of ten don't have a provision for entering "COUNTRY" as part of your credit card details.

It also says, "For security purposes, we are only allowed to ship purchased items to the billing address..."

You can't exactly put "Makati" as "City", and "California" as State .

Actually, Citibank did hold up the charge until Amazon.com could claim it.. That was the WHOLE FRICKING PROBLEM..!

When I ordered the camera it was IN STOCK AT AMAZON.COM, but because AMAZON.COM took SO BLOODY LONG to Acquire THEIR OWN MONEY from their OWN ACQUIRING BANK (whose identity the Amazon.com Order "Specialist" didn't even know), a few days later I get an email that says "Sorry, that item is now out of stock.. Would you like to wait 5 weeks for delivery?"

CR@P!!!

KD, when you make purchases (let's say above $200), does your bank require your authorization?

I have a feeling Citibank has been hassling me!

(And Amazon.com DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT ITS OWN ACQUIRING BANK IS!!! CRAP, MAN!!!)

[batang uliran]

They check if the amount is beyond the usual amounts you charge. their threshold for checking is probably lower for overseas transactions. I sometimes purchase items from Australia - the first time I did it they checked with me but they didn't for future purchases from that same person. When I buy something from out of state for a large amount they also check with me.

Again, bhphoto.com ships overseas routinely and I would wager they have the camera you want in stock. I have purchased many camera related items from them - anything from film to equipment and I have never had a problem.

[KuyaDanny]

Originally posted by Noisy Cricket
KD, when you make purchases (let's say above $200), does your bank require your authorization?

The bank will choose to request authorization when it detects an "abnormal spending pattern". Abnormal is defined by them, not you. This is their fraud protection system at work.

I've been asked for authorization for amounts less than $100, especially if I haven't used my card in a long time and suddenly I'm charging something in, say, Bangkok. American Express, in particular, is really good at this.

Come to think of it, Citibank also screwed up my partners' purchase last year. They were in New York City and tried to buy three $800 digital cameras and put them all on one card. Citibank wouldn't let them - even with authorization. They ended up having to split up the charges over three credit cards just to get approval.

As to your problem with amazon - this sometimes has to do with the time difference between US and Manila. Keep in mind that when a charge is held up, live employees have to get to work to resolve the problem. Amazon employees work on California time, and might need to get fax or email authorization from Manila. This will result in a delay of one to three days, enough time for the store to run out of stock of your Epson camera. That wass what you were trying to buy, wasn't it?