My wish list all from www.pormada.com: (1) Anemone Dana Retro One-Piece Placid Polka, P2,995; (2) VANS Heart Sunglasses Pink, P698; (3) Neon Island Black Tropical Knit, P1,300; (4) Papaya! Large Pouch Starlet, P1,740; (5) Brown Belly Fringe Bed Jacket Sunshine, P1,180; (6) Olivia & Fifth Snyder Two Piece Dress, P2,190; (7) Native Jericho Tartlet Purple/Bone White, P2,790; (8) Anemone Porto Zip Up Rashguard Lemon Bloom, P2,995. 

I love online shopping. Since the day I’ve discovered it I’ve gotten hooked! Seriously, most of my sleepless nights are spent in front of my computer, looking for the perfect handbag, dress, or home accessory. Everything about it appeals to me–where else can I shop in my pajamas at wee hours of the night? Not to mention, the item right there in front of you (well, almost). I mean obviously it isn’t physically there but you know whether it’s available or not. You don’t need to go to the mall to look for it only to find out its available in a different branch, which you would then have to go to, or worse, its completely out of stock (what a waste of effort and time). There’s also no gas or parking to pay, and the item is delivered right to your doorstep. The only problem I see in this is if the shopping site sends you the wrong item or you get the wrong size. But then again, most of these sites offer free returns and exchanges, so this isn’t a problem at all!

I remember a couple of years back online shopping wasn’t so big yet in Manila. There were only sites like eBay or Multiply, but no real online shopping sites to go to. And so I would shop in international sites and have the items sent to my friend’s house in the U.S. She would then bring these back with her when she would come to Manila for a visit or she’d just have it shipped to my house. It seems like a lot of work now that I think of it, but I guess that’s how it was back then. And I really didn’t care–I got the best deals from online shopping! I am just so thankful now that more and more online shopping sites are springing up, which only makes shopping all the more fun!

One issue that I’ve always been concerned about ONLINE SHOPPING though is SECURITY. Thankfully, I’ve never encountered any problems with credit card or identity fraud, nor do I ever want to experience it in the future. The thought of it happening to me just scares me—I wouldn’t know how to handle a situation like that. From the looks of things though, chances of this happening is pretty much slim to none, because I’ve discovered the best way to shop online is to use a credit card that’s specifically made for online shopping. The MasterCard Virtual Card addresses the online shoppers’ (that’s us) need for a convenient, secure and quick way to pay online and that’s thru a MasterCard account number issued solely for use on the internet. With a MasterCard Virtual Card, you can manage a separate card account number for internet use only–which gives you the opportunity to limit credit line and number of purchases, provide family members with unique accounts for online purchases and track online and retail purchases separately. This means you have total control of your credit card as well as how much money is spent each month.

The MasterCard Virtual Card is available in the form of the regular card plastic or a simple reference device, or virtual card, that provides a card number and card verification code for use only on the internet. However, unlike your physical plastic credit, debit or prepaid card, a MasterCard Virtual Card will not be accepted for face-to-face purchases or at in-store card payment terminals. The MasterCard Virtual Card is designed to protect your primary credit or bank account details from identity thieves by not having to expose these information while making payments online. It also allows you to carry out online transactions without having to worry about maxing out your credit limits or losing your card. So security issues are addressed because the card is only for online use, and you can put a cap or limit on the card so you always spend within your budget. Amazing, right?

Applying for a MasterCard Virtual Card is easy. You can even apply online! All you have to do is visit the official website of your existing MasterCard-issuing bank and complete the application form online. Philippine banks that issue the MasterCard Virtual Card include BDO, BPI, EastWest Bank, Metrobank, RCBC Bankard and Security Bank. Oh and since this post has been all about online shopping, well, I’ve decided to share my five favorite online shopping sites as well. Happy shopping, and don’t forget to get your MasterCard VIRTUAL CARD today!