20% OFF: Buy Tesco Online RM150 Cash Voucher for RM120

The first time I heard Tesco was going online, I was elated. I mean, I'm a fan of Tesco and I love to shop online. Now you're telling me I can also shop Tesco online? Doesn't get better than this.

Oh, wait. It does.

Did I mention I also love deal sites?

It's now Tesco online + Groupon.

I'm stoked. But I wish it's more.

First of all, it's RM10 per delivery and of course, it can be covered by the cash voucher. Your shopping basket has to be at least RM150 (excluding delivery fee). It it's less, you will not be refunded. If it's more, you pay the difference with a credit/debit card. No cash.

(Even Zalora does COD via TaQbin.)

So this is essentially a 20% discount. I understand that this is a hypermarket selling essentials (pun intended).

It's also for first time Tesco online customers only.

You can plan your purchase up to 3 weeks in advance and change your order online anytime up to 11pm one day prior to delivery date. The prices you pay for your purchases are the same prices found in physical Tesco stores on the date of delivery.

Deliveries occur in 2-hour slots from 10am to 10pm. You need to book your delivery slot.

Don't worry, this isn't a run-off-the-mill online shop like Jusco with nothing but hampers for sale. Even Parkson has improved substantially. There is a wide variety of products at Tesco's eshop (that's what they call it. Chuckle!)



* If you're sharp, you'd notice that I'd contradicted myself on one point in this post. If you didn't notice, it don't matter.

* I'm tickled by the temperature-controlled Tesco delivery van with baskets (in Tesco's signature royal blue, no less) neatly stacked up in steel-framed tiers.

50%-70% OFF: RM50 Rakuten Cash Voucher for RM20

I like cash vouchers, don't you? Just don't be too restrictive with your offers, business owners.

At first, I find it silly that Rakuten should offer a cash voucher deal on Groupon when they are having sales. Why? You can't use these cash vouchers on sale items.

On second thoughts, they probably do this on purpose.

Now it's 50% off on ALL Rakuten items!

It's useful, come to think of it.

Are you a book lover? Now you can get Amy Tan's bestselling 'The Joy Luck Club' at RM17.45 after 50% off. (I'm just illustrating here so don't knock me off by saying you've read it ages ago. Me too. Only I didn't read the parts in the middle.) You can filter by the author. Smart.

(Don't you love getting books half off when they always give 10% to 15% off. Don't tell me otherwise.)

Fiction carries the most books. At over 100. Children's books come next at 75 books.

I think I got carried away. Here's why:

1. This voucher comes in denominations of RM50 each so you can only use it for a product that is at least RM55. (Filter on the left sidebar for items ranging RM55 to the limit you'd spend.)
2. You can only use 1 Groupon/product.
3. You can use it to cover shipping cost. (But I don't see how this matter, considering the above two restrictions.)

 I love how you can drill down, and down some more.

However, there's room for improvement:

1. Let us 'add to wishlist' without having to click through the product.
2. Give us the option to browse through100 items at a time.
3. Why are the images so lo-res?
4. Let the filters we set (number of items and relevance/lowest price, etc.) remain even though we click to a different category, until we change it ourselves.

Take note from Zalora!

And other shopping portals can take note from Rakuten. Run a 50% - 70% off voucher deal on Groupon!



* Maybe I'm wrong. But I believe this is the first time an online shopping portal is running a cash voucher deal. I love how deal sites force merchants to think more innovatively and competitively!

50% OFF: RM20 Cash Voucher for 'Pan Mee, Fried Chicken, Nasi Lemak & Yo Yo Ping' for RM10

Cash vouchers are usually great deals until you check out the conditions, if any.

Yo Yo Ping is a cafe style restaurant selling a variety of pan mee and nasi lemak. Crispy fried chicken is available too. Yo Yo Ping actually refers to ice-blended drinks, of which there are 6 flavours to choose from.

Pan mee costs RM5.80 per bowl and the last few times I tried it out at Setia Alam, the taste is OK. So the soup is alright. Like many eateries, there's a lack of toppings such as slivers of mushrooms and minced pork. There is pork alright just no minced pork in addition to that (the standard pork). There isn't a lot of mee in the bowl either. Unless you are on a diet, I'd say a bowl is not filling for a grown-up.

Why do they skimp on the flour mee?

So you can add a side dish of (wing/thigh/breast/drumstick) fried chicken from RM2.80 to RM3.30 per piece. It's crispy and hot.

Many people order a drink of Yo Yo Ping to go with their meals at RM2.80. You may alternatively order iced Chinese herbal tea.

It's a simple one-page menu but don't you be hasty for the bottom half page doesn't count for this cash voucher. That's right. You may order only pan mee, nasi lemak and Yo Yo Ping with this cash voucher. Fried chicken and other beverages are not included.

I'd like to enjoy my steaming hot bowl of pan mee with crispy hot fried chicken so this feels restrictive. I don't think cash vouchers should ever feel restrictive. I suppose I can order both and pay in cash as well as voucher.

Why is fried chicken excluded?

The menu isn't extensive, as it is. This is otherwise a good deal.




* You can order 'nasi lemak with chicken' (RM5.50) but I'm not sure if it's fried. So what's it gonna be? Pan mee and 'nasi lemak with chicken'??

* This cash voucher is valid at both outlets from 11am up to 7pm (for Setia Alam outlet) and 9pm (for Kota Kemuning outlet).

* Would the owner please turn up the air-cond? I love my pan mee to be steaming hot but not my goodself (to be streaming hot).

* Prices listed here are actual menu prices.

Dukes & Duchess (TTDI) VS Sakura Kristal (Setia City Mall)

Dukes & Duchess ran quite a few deals on Groupon from 2012 to 2013. It's typically half off aka RM32 for two people.

Typically; one platter of pork burger with fries and salad plus a bowl of soup for each person. Sounds like a really good deal until you try out the food for yourself:

“SUPER DRY pork ribs and pork burgers”

Chinese blog translated to English - Funny!

So reminds me of Sakura Kristal (Setia City Mall) LivingSocial.my deal. The restaurant was nice (classy); you could sit indoors and enjoy the dim lighting. Or sit out with a roof overhead and a view of a small fountain not far on a fully paved ground.

The food was not so nice; in both quality and quantity. I promise you will leave the place with a nagging sense of hunger that you came to fulfil but failed to. The meat (mix grill and salmon fish) looks like it's been cut in half. And I don't know if it's over-cooked or not, but the meat is definitely unjuicy. It's a sure thing you won't not notice.

Honestly, what's the chef doing? Shouldn't he still be apprenticing under a real chef? Maybe a hotel is a better place for him as long as it serves buffet with food the kind no one cares for.

It's cash voucher but the staff says it's only valid for ala carte orders. This isn't stated anywhere on the LivingSocial.my deal page. I called up the restaurant and happened to found out.

You don't have to book your place at Sakura Kristal. It's instant redemption. Dukes & Duchess on the other hand, wants you to book online first. They allot approx. 10 pax per hour per day from 11am to 5pm.