home economists

Food & Nutrition Sites Review (Nufail)

2008-09-03T00:32:00.011+08:00

Here's my second review for website reviewing, and I have chosen http://cyberbee.com/

To begin with, this website is bright, attractive and easy to read as well. Information on the website is not cluttered or wordy, like most websites. They've also sectionalized the websites in smaller categories, making it easier to navigate as well.

So what is this website about? Well basically it's about trying to make lessons more interesting by incorporating the Internet. Cyberbee acts as an online mascot for the website. Under "curriculum ideas", they give examples as to how the internet can be used for various subjects. The subjects include: Cross-Curricular, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Reference, Science Fair, Teacher Ideas.

I clicked on "Science" and scrolling down, wowwww, they did have a topic about food!

So I clicked on it further to check if it was any relevance to F&N. It is relevant, however, more so for Home Ec. The task given is very similar to us given as a coursework question. It is about food labels. Click on the picture if you want to read further.

After reading it, I personally like it as it really resembles like a coursework motive. The breakdown is given, there are guided questions, and they even provide websites for further assistance or reasearch. With a little tweaking here and there, I believe that the question is suitable to be used for lower seconday coursework. However, there's only ONE question about Home Ec. Very limited, unfortunately.

So next I clicked is "Research Tools". There isn't exactly much in the table of contents tho

Clicking on "Web Evaluation Guides", they actually give a template to evaluate a website based on its content and design. It's pretty simple and easy to read. But in my opinion, it's more suited for lower secondary yet again. Click on the picture to go to the page.

They do have a section on how to cite from electronic resources, so that's pretty useful for proper referencing. And then there's "WebQuest", which is actually "a framework for research and exploration on specific topics utilizing Websites as resources."

I clicked on "UBUYACAR", which is a PBL topic about purchasing a new vehicle. (Think, Consumerism people). And I must say, I actually found the file useful because it has guided questions and breakdowns of it, making it easier to comprehend. Click on the picture if you want to explore it further!

Generally, I like WebQuest as it provides a breakdown of the task. This is really useful in teaching. But if only they had more topics on Home Ec or F&N!

So next I clicked was "Web Links". They have a variety of subjects for this. It's nice to see that there's "Health & Nutiriton". (:

There does seem to be quite a variety of links, and some do prove to be useful. However, I feel that the main website, (cyberbee.com) needs to be updated! There are some websites which actually don't exist anymore. Lol.

Overall, this website isn't too bad actually. They do provide other good websites in trying to incorporate IT into the classroom. But the downside? It has very little resources for F&N. I'd say none, but there's a tiny bit for Home Ec. Another downside is that the website hasn't been updated recently, as you can see from the picture above. I hope there will be some updates soon, and they'll include more resources for F&N. But for now, in my opinion, I wouldn't exactly recommend this website to teach F&N for students or use it as a resource. Again I repeat, it's due to it's limited resources and lack of updates. My rate? 2.5 / 5.

But for personal exploration, and to take some relevant here and there, there are a few, and by all means, use it if it's relevant to you. Enjoy exploring everyone!

Website Review for Food and Nutrition (Zila)

2008-08-30T00:59:00.006+08:00

Food Tube. Net

I think this is a really great website for us future F&N teachers! Recipe books may be detailed, but you may not necesarily know what or how to do. This website has video recipes which are quite interesting and easy to follow too. I think it's especially good for those with really good memory!! haha.. if not you may need to jot down the recipe for use next time.

The layout is somewhat of a blog, except this is a portal for them to blog their entries and about themselves. So it's pretty fun to browse through.

It has lists of recipes broken down into different categories. Or you may choose to search videos or photos.

This is an example of a photo recipe. This is called the Puerto Rican Breaded Steak with Shrimp.
There are positive comments by fellow FoodTube members so it's a pretty good way to gauge if you shoudl try it. The dish was also rated 3.5/5! Interesting..

I watched a video on Chinese Steam Buns and was quite impressed by the background music, added texts and voice commentaries. It was a youtube video.

It also has members so you may click on the chosen one, read about them, and look at their recipe contributions. It's really interesting what you can find. I saw a member who's called Evil Auntie and she's quite eccentric! haha..

On a whole, the website is very straight-forward, user-friendly and I would use it to look for recipes in future. (Especially for the micro-teaching!!)

Overall site ratings: 3/5!!

(I think it would be better if we could have the pictures/ videos but with text uploaded as well. so we could just print it out instead of having to copy the recipe manually.)

Website Review for Food and Nutrition (Zila)

2008-08-29T00:28:00.017+08:00

How many times have we heard the cliched phrase: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away"? This website on Washington Apples (http://www.bestapples.com/) has all the daily information you need about these famous fruit. It has 'Apple Info', 'Healthy Living', 'Recipes', 'Just for Kids' right at your fingertips!

Oh and if you mouse-over the icons at the bottom of the page, a 'crunch' sound can be heard. It's so cute!! (Not to mention mouth-watering!! =) )

Apple Info

Apple Varieties

Did you know that there are more than 10 apple varieties? They have names such as the ever-popular Fuji, Granny Smith and also lesser popular ones such as Ambrosia and Pacific Rose. Amazing isn't it?

Usage Chart

It also provides a useful usage chart so that we may suit the type of apples for a particular recipe.

Other Apple Information

This site also has information on how to choose and care for apples and others such as the strictly regulated use of pesticides for the growing of apples. Frequently Asked Questions on the organic Washington apples are also available. It's really interesting because I never knew there were so many things for a company to claim their products are 'organic'.

Healthy Living

And when it comes to the ever-cliched phrase above, apples really are that nutritious!

Its nutrients help-

"Lower blood cholesterol, improved bowel function, reduced risk of stroke, prostate cancer, type II diabetes and asthma. The disease-fighting profile of apples provides a multitude of health benefits, including a potential decreased risk of cancer and heart disease. Several recent studies suggest apples may provide a "whole-body" health benefit. A number of components in apples, most notably fiber and phytonutrients have been found in studies to lower blood cholesterol and improve bowel function, and may be associated with a reduced risk of ischemic heart disease, stroke, prostate cancer, type II diabetes and asthma. Preliminary research from Finland indicates diets with the highest intake of apple phytonutrients were associated with a 46 percent reduction in the incidence of lung cancer. Findings indicate that two apples a day or 12 ounces of 100% apple juice reduced the damaging effects of the "bad" LDL cholesterol.

- Interpoma 2002 Conference, Bolzano, Italy
- Dianne Hyson, Ph.D., M.S., R.D., University of California-Davis"

So I guess it is true that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, excecpt we don't really eat apples everyday, do we?

And remember Metabolic Syndrome? 'Apparently "adults who eat apples and applesauce and drink apple juice have a significantly reduced risk of metabolic syndrome". It also goes on explaining in great lengths the benefits of apples in preventing diseases such as colon cancer (with its high amount of dietary fibre), respiratory diseases, heart diseases and strokes, memory loss and it also helps with weight loss.

The 3-Apple-a-day Plan

This wonderful site also tells us of Tammi Flynn, who with interest in food and health, becomes a group fitness instruction and personal trainer and develops this plan. She introduced the plan to one of her clients and...... the client actually lost 1% of her body fat in just ONE WEEK! I'm starting to fall in love with apples all over again!!

The page has a link to Tammi Flynn's website. It's pretty interesting too! Check it out!

Recipes

Recipes are also given to create apple dishes, which I think is really smart especially to get kids to eat more fruit!

clicking onto these will lead to more recipes

Just for Kids

This website is also useful for those teaching in primary schools. It is a good way to introduce basic nutrition knowledge to them. It has a great intro with animation and sounds which will really engage the students.

Crispy's Kitchen

It has really simple, easy-to-do recipes for kids to have a wholesome, hands-on learning experience. I know I would enjoy it.

Kid's Eye View

It's a contest page for kids to take part in-

"Enter to win a free Washington apple tee shirt by telling us why Washington apples are so great to eat and healthy for you. Using your best grammar and writing skills, and no more than 200 words, be creative and your story may be published on the Washington apple website for all of your friends to see!"

It has suggested topics to help the kids to write. It features current and previous winners which would really excite the kids when theirs get chosen and featured on the webpage. I think it's really great.

The Just For Kids site also has Fun Facts, Games & Activities and also Teacher's Corner which has interesting stuff such as crossword puzzles, word searches, colouring pages and information on apples which they could use in their teaching material.

Overall

I think it's a really great site to use for teaching because of its endless information, which are presented in a fun and user-friendly method, especially the Teacher's Corner. I would definitely recommend this site to those teaching in both primary and secondary schools.

The only downside is that it is totally american-based.

Ratings for Washington Apples: 4.5/5!!!!! =)

Food & Nutrition Sites Review (Nufail)

2008-08-25T23:04:00.013+08:00

Same task for DCX130, website review! Here's the 1st website that i picked, and it's http://www.foodnetwork.com!/

The website has a nice green colour as its background, so it soothes the eye a little. The links have been categorized neatly, and like most recipe websites, having a search bar is a must!

There's alot of venues that you can explore in this website. What I absolutely love about this website is how there are videos from a large variety of cooking shows, and there's quite an archive for this! Well, judging from the name of the website, I'm sure you'd figure that out already. :D

So let me briefly go through the website and what I like about it.

First thing that I like about this is how they have a weekly update and as to how it changes regularly. So this keeps you wanting to come in more to check out for the regular updates happening.

Secondly, the layout is neat and easy to navigate. The different bars such as "Home", "Recipes & Cooking", "Holidays & Parties" and etc makes it easier to go to which category that you're specifically looking for. For example, when clicked on "Holidays & Parties, they've yet again neatly categorized it under the headings "Celebrations", "Seasonal" & "Special Occasion". Yet again, this makes it easy to search for whatever that you are looking for.

And then they have "Back To School", where there are a large variety of recipes to choose from, not only breakfast, but lunch and dinner as well. In addition, they've even included tips on how to prepare breakfast fast and such. They've even have short articles written by their in-house nutritionist.

In addition, the website also has a large recipe collection. You're definitely spoilt for choice if you can't decide what to cook. But the sections yet again makes it easier for you to choose if there's anything you need in specific.

And the last and most interesting part about this website is the "TV" section! They have videos from the TV shows that are available at the website. All you have to do is you can either select a TV show, or go by the episode that you're looking for. It's that easy! They even have TV shows from the popular chefs, for example, "Jamie at Home" and "Nigella Bites" just to name a few.

This here is the main page for "TV". The drop list to find a TV show and episode is to your left.

This here is Jamie's page. Currently, there are no videos as the current ones have yet to be uploaded. Unfortunately, old episodes cannot be detected. :(

There are also limitations to this page. For example, only 2 recipes from each episode will be available online. In addition, "access to recipes is limited to users within the United States."

What a bummer!

But at least they have more information about the chef, and the lingo he uses. So that adds a little more 'personalized'information about the chef.

To sum it up, I love this website as it contains a large variety of recipes. In addition, the neat layout and easy navigation is always a plus point. I would recommend this website for Food & Nutrition as it will be useful for the students if they need to find recipes for their coursework. There are also cooking tips that they can pick up for themselves. Despite the fact that past videos aren't easily available for viewing, they compensate that by giving the recipe. So it's not so bad. My rate? I'm giving this a 4 / 5!!!

Happy exploring to this website! Hope you like it as much as I do. (:

Online Shopping Site Review (Nufail)

2008-08-24T23:37:00.041+08:00

Introduction

As we move forward to the 21st century, the use of Information Technology (IT) is definitely something not foreign. (If it is for you, you're vintage. :D) Especially for kids and teenagers nowadays, who'd most probably face the electronic item (a.k.a. the computer) more than human/social contact.

As such, I believe that online-shopping is quickly gaining much popularity amongst everyone, as having to do so with just the click of a mouse is so much more convenient than to walk on the streets. (Imagine here in Singapore on a super bright sunny day, where we'll be all hot, tired and bothered!) Plus online-shopping also helps to reach out to the masses if their brands are not available in Singapore. Some examples include Victoria's Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch and Wetseal.

So for our e-learning task (DCX131), we were told to do a thorough evaluation of one online-shopping website. And my chosen website for this task is...*drum rolls please!*

none other than the highly recognised boutique (well almost everywhere), TOPSHOP!

Since we are evaluating the website, ratings are needed. This here would be my ratings list:

1 - Very poor
2 - Poor
3 - Fair
4 - Good
5 - Very good

Before evaluating it, here’s a brief description about the brand Topshop, and the reason of this website.

Topshop is a well renowned brand in United Kingdom (UK), where it originated. Launched in 1964, it has slowly flourished not only in UK, but internationally as well over the years. Its 'brave and irreverant approach to fashion" and "up-to-the-minute affordable style" are just few of the characteristics that have made it immensely popular. And in recent times, Topshop initiated designer collaborations, partnering with iconic models Kate Moss and Celia Birthwell to unveil personalised, signature pieces of theirs. Inspired by their wardrobes and personal sense of styles, these collections "further cemented the brand's reputation as fashion leader and trend setter."

As such, with the set-up of www.topshop.com, a wide variety of items are made available not only in the UK, but globally as well, giving itself worldwide brand recognition.

1. Target Audience

I would assume that the target audience is aimed at mainly mid-teenagers to working adults, approximately at the age of 16 - 40 years old (females). Besides that age group, Topshop also targets at maternity mothers, and to those who have infants & toddlers as they sell maternity wear and baby clothes. Menswear is definitely not forgotten as well. However, it is at a separate website (http://www.topman.com/). Unfortunately, in my opinion, Topshop missed out another target audience, and that would be the kids. They do not offer products targeting at the kids, say to those at the age of 6 to 16 years old. My rate?

2. Design & Layout

a) Design

So the very first thing that you would notice at the website would be the design and the layout. Topshop.com kept the colours simple; mainly using black, white and bits of grey. And with the infusion of both (B&W), they used a polka-dotted background. Same goes for the fonts used (mainly black). However, when it comes to posting up sales items, Topshop.com used bright, neon pink for their font and tried to make it as the focal point of the page. This does work well with the simplistic layout to try and attract consumers into getting their attention and wanting to click on that portion.

b) Layout

Layout wise, topshop.com has included a search bar. This function is extremely useful as, if the consumers need to look for something more specific, say skinny jeans, all they have to do is to type out the keywords there (either product name or code) and all the skinny jeans available in the website will be displayed. This definitely saves time if one knows what they're looking for, and instead of clicking links one by one.

On the upper-right hand corner, topshop.com have placed links such as Stores, Log In, My Account, Wish List, Gift Cards and Sprees, Delivery and Help. Below that bar, topshop.com has displayed the Shopping Bag link.

On the left hand side of the page, they have placed their links of items available. This does make it easy to click on the individual links as they have categorized it accordingly: Sale, Celia Birtwell, New In, Dresses, Tops, Shoes, Knitwear, etc.

And at the bottom-most part, there are links connecting consumers such as Videos/Podcasts, Daily Fix Widget, About Topshop, Contact Us, etc.

Overall, the simplistic design of the website promotes neatness and is organized. Plus easy access of links available makes it really easy for me to navigate around effortlessly. The colours used makes it easy on the eye as if we have to stare at the page for a really long time, it's not that jarring. However, I personally feel that maybe a little animation add-ons might make the layout more interesting and eye-catching. My rate?

3. Accessibility

This website is accessible to most consumers in the world, it being in English. Besides that, clicking on the link "Accessibility", what really caught my attention is how this website is made possible even for those who are impaired! They've even provided links to the specific websites to provide more information on the access devices available for those with different impairments. In addition, accessibility around the website can also be done without a mouse using access keys.

So my ratings for accessibility of this website would definitely be a 5! Where can you get such accessibility for those with impairments? Even though it is only available in English, the language barrier can be easily solved by going to http://www.babelfish.altavista.com/ where you can convert the entire website into whichever language available!! E.g. English to French
4. Contents of the website

a) Homepage

On the right hand side, topshop.com displayed the links via collections wise. So instead of going into the respective categories i.e. if they want to look for a dress in the "Wonderland" collection, they dont have to click on the "Dresses" link and search for it one by one, they can simply click on "Wonderland". This works out well for those who want to look at items based on the collection.

Scrolling down below, the content of the homepage displays its latest news and happenings. This helps the consumers be aware of any events/news up-to-date.

b) Links on the left hand side

Links here have been categorized accordingly to its respective type of clothing. If one needs to look for dresses, tops, etc, all they have to do is click on it and everything that it has available will appear. For those with variety e.g. Jackets, they even have specific sub categories (smart, casual, coats) for it which makes it easier for the consumer to go to directly if they know what they're looking for.

Upon clicking on the item before purchasing, there will be a close up view of the item, both front and back. Information given would be the item's name, code name, colour, price, product info, delivery, returns policy, size, etc. However, description given for the product info is rather vague. One useful feature is that it gives a zoom in and out feature to have a closer look at the product. In terms of availability, the consumer just has to click on her size. If unavailable, the website will state that is is out of stock.

c) Links on the upper right hand corner

These links here are useful if someone needs to look for information on general things. For example, they have a store locator function. It provides addresses of all the topshop stores in the world! So if you're on a holiday and you're not sure if there's a store available in that country, you can always go check it out before hand.

Another link would be "My Wish List". This function helps the consumers to add it in there, and helps to remember the item that they want if they cant purchase it now. Another perk is that they can actually send out the wish list to their friends to hint to them! *Watch out!*

d) Links on the bottom most page

Yet again, these links are information on general things. For those who would want to know about Topshop, all they need to do is click on the link. And for those who still seem lost in navigating, the "site map" link is extremely useful as if provides all the items via listed mode.

There is one page that I would like to highlight, and that would be the "Size Guide & Washcare".
This page here is extremely useful for everyone. Firstly, it contain a size guide for tops.

A size conversion chart is also provided.
Secondly, they've even input in a bra fitting size as they sell lingerie.

Thirdly, they provide tips on shoe care for different materials.

Fourthly, what they included that I personally like is the washcare guide.

It has explanations for each symbol, which most consumers may not be aware of. Very informative indeed!

Overall, I find that having the zoom in function is really important for consumers as it gives them a rough gauge of how it looks like before purchasing. Having a site map summarizing the entire content of it is really good as well. However, description given for the product info is rather vague. It could do better with more information, like giving specific measurements and a more descriptive explanation of the item. Plus maybe perhaps they could add a section whereby there are reviews from buyers who have bought the item to give their opinions. In addition, the website lacks the feature to promote other similar items that they might be interested in. But the content in size guide and washcare is really useful and informative. My rate?

5. Variety

Topshop does offer a wide range of clothes from casual, dressy, maternity and babies. However, they not only sell tops and bottoms, but accessories as well! In addition, they also carry swimwear, lingerie and nightwear. There's one more feature that I personally like, and that is it caters to consumers of all sizes. They offer clothes for petite, (5 ft 3 and below, perfect for me!) and tall people! (for those 5ft 7 and above; good for Zila)

My rate?

6. Ordering & Mode of Payment

Ordering
If one wants to purchase, they just have to click add to bag. After that the website summarizes all the items in your shopping bag. This allows the consumer to double check that those are the required items that they want. To make payment, one of course has to sign up and have an account with them first!

Payment mode

Topshop.com accepts quite a variety of payment, and they are:

As they accept Paypal payment, making it easier for those without credit cards. Prices stated in Topshop.com are in pounds. Therefore, charges may differ for those outside of UK. The exchange rate depends on the owner's credit card company. My rate?

7. Security

Security is very important in online shopping. As such, topshop.com has collaborated with "Verified by Visa" and "MasterCard Secure Code" to help prevent the credit card against unauthorized usage.

My rate?

8. Delivery

Topshop.com does not deliver internationally, and they only deliver to selected countries, which are:

They website also provides information with regards to its costs and estimated delivery times. They also provide express delivery, where they can deliver the merchandise within the next or 5 working days. However, there is an additional surcharge. Plus they've provided a tracking order system, to allow the consumers to know of the whereabouts of the item. However, both functions are only available for UK. For overseas deliveries, they do offer a Customer Service hotline for them to call up and check. If not, they can send an email as well.

In terms of checking delivery, a tracking system in the UK and a customer service hotline is offered to check their status of the merchandise. However, the downside is that it does not deliver internationally. My rate?

9. Redress

Topshop.com offers both returns and refunds of goods at any reason. For international returns/refunds, it can only be done so via post. But those in the UK and Republic of Ireland, they can drop by into any Topshop store(excluding department stores) and do it there. All returns and refunds have to be done within 14 days of receipt. Topshop.com also provides free shipping back, but yet again, not for international customers, who will have to bear their own costs.

The returns/refunds policy that Topshop offers is extremely useful and needed if a customer is unsatisfied with the merchandise. However, in my opinion 14 days does seem a little too short of notice. My rate?

9. Other useful information on the website

a) Privacy policy

Everyone is always aware when giving out information online. Thus, in topshop.com privacy policy, the information they collect is strictly for their own usage and not revealed to any other party at all.
More information can be known here.

b) Terms & Conditions

Before purchasing, the customer should be aware of the website's terms & conditions. Topshop.com has its T&C put up to ensure that the consumers know what they are agreeing to. More information can be known here.

c) Delivery & Help

This link here provides all the help that the consumers can get. This page is really useful, and if anyone has any questions, they can go to this page. More information can be known here.

~OVERALL RATING~

On the whole, I didn't encounter any major issues or trouble while navigating around the website. It was relatively a breeze going through each section as the links were very organized. Plus any queries I had in mind was easily answered. I do like the variety that if offers, especially since I myself really like to shop there. Comparing the items that they have online and here in the Singapore outlets, topshop.com obviously has a much wider range to choose from. Unfortunately, they do not do shipment in Singapore. However, prices quoted are in pounds, and if they do shipment here to Singapore, the items would be really costly. Despite that, my experience here at www.topshop.com has been really fun exploring. My rate?

Happy exploring ladies! ((:

Print screens credits and all information were taken from www.topshop.com

Food & Nutrition Sites Review (Adila)

2008-08-23T19:51:00.016+08:00

this site offers as a very useful guide for us educators

there are only 4 different subheading catogories shown below
on the website, the subheadings also include
`school issues
`education world at home
`lifestyle/ market place
`early childhood

(click on pictures to visit the respective websites )

i have decided to explore the lesson planning section
i'll now proceed to share some of my favourite teaching tips

#1: Implementation of Exit Slips

as stated on the page above, teachers are encouraged to produce exit slips for each student to take home to parents
this exit slip will prevent the common situation where students do not know what to answer when they're parents ask "what did you learn in school today?"
i believe that this is a good practice for students to recap what they have learnt each day
perhaps the teachers can include the lesson's objectives in the exit slips for parents to sign against

#2: Avoid Getting the Same Old Excuses

in this case, students who repetitively hand in work late will be asked to submit a written excuse that includes the date, the assignment, the reason it has not been turned in, and their signature

the teacher will collate these excuse papers and can show it to parents during Parent-Teacher-Meetings (PTMs)
furthermore, students won't feel comfortable in writing down a repetitive excuse as it'll be stating their obvious laziness
these excuse papers will rob the students from abusing the liberty in handing work late

#3: Providing Absentee Assistants

we were all students before
therefore, we're familiar with the hassle of having to catch up with school's work when we were absent for a day

the implementation of absentee assistants will parish this problem for good

student representatives will carry an assignment form from class to class and record the work done during the period and any homework assignments
at the end of the day, that page may be copied and shared with all students who were not present

this process will help us teachers too
we won't need to scramble to gather assignments for absent students when parents requests for them

as an alternative, students could create a colourful bag to be placed at a corner of the class
all the assignments and notes on due dates could be placed in this bag for the absentee to collect when they come back

stated above are only 3 out of the 31 help for homework hassle tips

this website is a really handy tool filled with teaching tips more than we can imagine
i had a lot of fun learning new tips for possible future use

Rating of Education World: 4/5 stars

-------------------------------------------

this second site is a really interesting one
it offers us a substitute recipe, an easier one at that, for our favourite famous dishes

as we all know, most famous recipes are top secret
most of the times, we don't mind forking out the extra moolahs for the divine pleasure of consuming our favourite food

the best part is, we do not have to leave the comfort of our own home and these recipes are absolutely FREE

you should give this website a try and browse through the available categories in the sidebar as shown below

i'll share with you my top 3 favourite recipes

(you can click on the pictures to visit the page)

imagine getting to use these recipes in Home Econs classes
if i were a student, i'll definitely be a little more hyped up as compared to having prepare fried rice
=D

if you have any not-so-secret-recipes to share, the website allows you to add them to their collection

of course as a nutrition-educated individual, i would recommend tweaking the recipes a little to improve the nutritive value of the dishes

Rating of CopyKat: 4/5 stars
all in all, i would use both above mentioned sites as a guide to build up my resources when i teach Home Economics/ Food & Nutrition

Have Fun Exploring!

print screened pictures are copyrights from
`http://www.education-world.com
`http://www.copykat.com

xoxo
-d|La

Online Shopping Site Review (Zila)

2008-08-23T17:20:00.025+08:00

Hi!!

It's Zila and this is my first ever official blog with proper pictures and all!! =D

it's nice that our assignment is reviewing on-line shopping websites.. I've been browsing through quite a number of them as it's really hard for me to find clothes that fit my tall stature! Most sold in stores are are always too short (in everything)...

I decided on this website called SHUKRONLINE (http://www.shukronline.com/)

it's a simple website that even i can easily browse through. And the plus point is that, the sizes range from S - XXXL!

they have items for , for and they also have (actually just bags and headgears for men and women. They also have an icon for . So basically it's a pretty accessible and user friendly website.

The categories for 'women' are broken down into dresses, tops, bottoms, etc.. and also into materials such as denim, linen and fleece. So it's always easy to find a favourite item based on your preferences.

#1 Acessibility- 4/5!!!!

Shukronline's target audience is the muslim community as the clothes are modest (not tight-fitting) and are in accordance to the muslim code, which is another reason for me to love this site!!

the ways to pay for the items are, unfortunately, limitted. they only accept debit and credit cards- althought i think now everybody has debit cards, right? But for those of don't, this could be quite an inconvenience..

So.....

#2 Payment Options- 3/5 =(

It also convinced me that it is pretty safe cos...

"Thirty days after your order has been placed, your credit card number and expiry date is automatically deleted from our secure servers."

.... and then it went on about Secure Sockets Layer, data encryption and other alien-sounding thingys. Also, the moment the online shopper reaches the checkout process, the website changes from http to https which means it is a secured platform.

#3- Security-4/5!!! =) (I would give it full marks when i successfully receive my items in future)

This website allows for customer redress (as I mentioned about the 'returns' icon). After reading the Return and Exchange Policy, this page opens:

I don't actually know if it is as simple as it looks (just by filling those up) but it does seem hopeful. although i hope i won't have to return anything in future..

#4 Customer Redress- 3/5!!!

It has detailed size charts as well so even I (who find it very difficult to find a good fit) won't hesitate to shop there.. (I know Salwa is already a regular customer) haha..

#5 Size Charts- 4/5 (i would have given it full marks had it indicate sleeve lengths too!)

Other good features of this website:

It has a 'rollover' function to see the particular item in other featured colours. it's great isn't it? so you won't feel deceived upon receiving the item and it's not the colour you thought it would be..

(this is shown in the pink after rolling over the colour)

It tells you the material of the item, for example: Linen Shangri-La dress, or Rayon Cosmopolitan Trousers

It has e-gift certificates (cards) ranging from to so I personally think it's a great gift idea.. *HINT HINT* hahaahaha.. anyways...

It also has 'shop by'options which i think is really great for those of us who are particular. =)

Final overall rating of shukronline: 4/5 =D

zila. signing off.

Online Shopping Site Review (Adila)

2008-08-23T00:00:00.034+08:00

the website that i've chosen is studiofrost.livejournal.com
this site may be unfamiliar to those outside of the malay community here in singapore

this is because the owner of the online boutique is a SURIA channel artiste
her name is nurul aini and she's mostly the model for her clothes
she's an actress of great calibre and has set up this boutique somewhere around late last year

the reason i chose this site is because i have made purchases from here before and i do find the site reliable

let's start on my review

here we go
:)

(click on pictures on enlarge)

1. TARGET AUDIENCE

as mentioned above, it is pretty obvious that the target audience for this online boutique is the malay female community
most of her fans are aware of her online business and do spread the word with their family and friends
however, i do believe there are buyers from other races/ ethnic groups too because the items on sale are all suitable for ladies in general

popularity rating: 2/5 stars

target audience constrained to local malay ladies, should consider media advertising to target other races

2. VARIETY

the boutique has a unique style of marketing their clothes
updated on a weekly basis, the items on sale are usually grouped together by themes
yeap, thematic approach people

below is the sidebar from the website indicating previous themes that have been used

other than having the thematic approach for clothes, they also have accessories and shoes for sale
however, the updates for new shoes and accessories are pretty rare

here are the types of tops that they offer

not much choices as seen from the example that i've extracted from the site
tops for sale are limited to blouses, cocktail dresses and maxi dresses

to elaborate on how measurements of tops are taken, studiofrost placed it in the FAQ section

there are a variety of prints and colour for each theme as seen in the picture below, a little consolation there

as of late, the clothes do come with the fabric type/ content
i have showed examples of the labels on the above pictures

seen above, the bargain bin section sells 2nd hand items which are still in good quality, as promised on the website

an interesting part of the website would be the babyfrost section
since the target audience are mostly ladies, the probability of them being mothers are pretty high
therefore, babyfrost sells baby apparels and accessories meant for the little ones
babyfrost section is usually updated on a monthly basis

here's a collage of some of the items
my personal favourite would be the rompers and colourful leg warmers
:)

variety rating: 4/5 stars

they should consider introducing the sale of pants/ bottoms

3. AVAILABILITY

judging from the quick response rate from the buyers, clothes can get out of stock pretty fast
from personal experience, i saw a dress from the collection that i really like on wednesday night
when i finally decide to make my purchase on thursday afternoon, it's SOLD OUT

so i guess the stocks are pretty limited
approximately 5 pieces/ pattern

availability rating: 2/5 stars

should increase the stock size to cater to larger number of buyers

4. PURCHASE/ PAYMENT

at the end of every new entry, this box will appear for interested buyers

as stated in the picture above, purchases can be made by leaving a comment on the entry stating the item of interest, name of buyer and email add

potential buyers may post as many questions as they need via email to help them in the decision making process

the down side of this online boutique would be the payment method
there is only one mode of payment for buyers, which is by bank account transfer
studiofrost uses DBS Savings Plus account and that in itself is a constraint
buyers would need to have an ibanking account to be able to immediately confirm payment via email with the reference number of transaction

from personal experience, my emails were replied almost immediately
that made everything so much easier as they can confirm my payment without me wondering where my money got transferred to
:)

studiofrost will entertain both registered and normal postage
buyers will pay $2 for normal postage while registered postage costs an additional $2.42

for example,

1. normal postage

item cost: $38
normal postage cost: $2
total cost: $40

2. registered postage
item cost: $38
registered postage cost: $2 + $2.42
total cost: $42.24

upon confirmation of purchase and payment
studiofrost will mail out the item asap
buyers can expect to receive the item within 2-3 working days

i've ordered a dress on monday and received it by wednesday
i call that efficiency
:)

a sample of the packaging through registered mail will look like this

payment and purchase rating: 3/5 stars

should include more payment methods to suit international buyers, should there be any

5. REDRESS

unfortunately, studiofrost have a non-refundable/returnable policy which disallows buyers to exchange purchases should they not like it

however, buyers are encouraged to ask studiofrost as many questions/queries before confirming their order to avoid post-purchase regret

redress rating: 0/5 stars

non-exchangeable policy is rather inconvenient for the buyer, perhaps studiofrost could reconsider it

6. RELIABILITY

stated above are the testimonials from satisfied buyers

i do consider myself as one of the buyers that has a positive point of view for studiofrost

reliability rating: 4/5 stars

7. REWARDS

one of the perks for studiofrost fans is vying for a position in buyer of the month

as stated in the picture, buyer of the month will receive 10% off their next purchase item PLUS a mystery gift

i do find that this reward is a good incentive for avid online shoppers like me

perks rating: 5/5 stars

8. OTHERS

coming soon for studiofrost is...

studiofrost.net

i view this as a stepping stone for a more reputable growth

9. PERSONAL VIEWS

i didn't have much difficulty browsing through the site and i do enjoy the unique thematic approach that's being used
everything on the site are organized and arranged in a systematic manner which entails easy navigation

i would however prefer if studiofrost included a wider range of clothing like pants/ bottoms or accessories like belts, earrings, bangles et cetera

studiofrost could also offer more modes of payments for the buyers for example:
`MASTER
`VISA
`Credit cards
`Paypal

and finally the issue on redress, studiofrost should allow slight leniency on at least the exchange of sizes/ colours of sold items

i would strongly recommend other online shoppers to consider this online boutique for their sprees

overall experience @ studiofrost rating: 4/5 stars

HAPPY SHOPPING LADIES!
:)

print screened photos are copyrights from studiofrost.livejournal.com
collages are copyrights of entry author

xoxo
-d|La

If you can have wedding cakes...

2008-08-20T20:01:00.010+08:00

why not divorce cakes as well? Got this thru an email from a friend. No pun intended, just for laughs people!! ((:

my 1st ever entry

2008-08-19T22:35:00.001+08:00

So here i finally am, blogging on a blog ( just like jenny from the block).. Haha.. rite..

anyways..

Thanks Adila for setting it up. I'd never have figured out how to. here are pictures from the cupcake lab..

Hey hey!!! look at our beautiful heart-shaped banana something something cupcake.. isn't it so beau-ti-ful..

ok enough for now.. hey i'm gettting the hang of this blogging thing.. i'm so proud of myself.. i just can't stop rambling now.. now i know why they ramble all the time..

zila

Hello!

2008-08-19T03:56:00.001+08:00

Many thanks to Dila for creating this, as I'm not quite familiar with blogspot. =D So here's where us 3 will post up anything related to Home Economics, from A to Z, blah blah, you get the gist. (:

As for our clothing and textiles e-learning assignment, we've got to pick an online website and further analyze it with various factors that were explained to us last week. I'm not going to get into details for that as it'd only get wordy. Plus it's 4am in the morning, I should be sleeping now haha.

Right! Actually, this is just a trial post to check whether our blog's up and running. Looks like it is, and to wrap it up, here's a picture of Dila and myself during last week's lab session where we made blueberry cupcakes! It was good and I love blueberries for life! Lol.

Oh pardon the tacky/cheesy 'peace' sign, I was bored. Haha.

G'night!

trial post

2008-08-18T13:35:00.000+08:00

Home Economics is a field of study and a profession, situated in the human sciences that draws from a range of disciplines to achieve optimal and sustainable living for individuals, families and communities. Its historical origins place Home Economics in the context of the home and household, and this is extended in the 21st century to include the wider living environments as we better understand that the capacities, choices and priorities of individuals and families impact at all levels, ranging from the household, to the local and also the global community. Home Economists are concerned with the empowerment and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities, and of facilitating the development of attributes for lifelong learning for paid, unpaid and voluntary work; and living situations. Home Economics professionals are advocates for individuals, families and communities.

`source - wikipedia