Forget about pricing, that's the least of the worries. I bought something that cost twice what you’re paying, and here’s the much bigger problem. If you’re buying a refrigerator, washing machine, or any other large appliance online from Lazada or Shopee, here’s one lesson I learned the hard way. Do not buy from a seller that uses a third party shipping company. Buy only from a seller that delivers with their own trucks and staff. It should clearly state in the product listing, under the delivery options, that the seller uses the “seller’s own fleet.” Otherwise, you’re taking a big risk. I went through four washing machines before I finally received one that wasn’t damaged. The first three all arrived damaged. Each time, the delivery company dumped the machine in my building lobby, and I had to haul it upstairs myself, unpack it, discover the damage, take photos, file a claim, print a return shipping label, pack it back up, move it downstairs again, arrange a pickup, and then wait about two weeks for a refund. It was a huge waste of time and energy. The first two damaged machines came from Lazada. I switched to Shopee, thinking it was just bad luck with one platform. The third machine arrived damaged too. To make things worse, that third machine was damaged even more during the return shipment. The seller disputed the refund, so I had to prove that I packed it correctly and that most of the damage was already there when I received it. The only reason I got my money back was because I had recorded the entire unboxing. Without that video, I probably would have lost. After almost six weeks of dealing with deliveries, returns, and refunds, I finally realized the problem wasn’t bad luck. It was the third party shipping companies. I eventually found a seller located close enough to use their own delivery fleet. The difference was unbelievable. Their staff brought the machine all the way into my apartment, unboxed it, plugged it in, made sure everything worked, and waited while I inspected every inch of it with a flashlight. It was in perfect condition. The whole process took about 15 minutes, with no stress and no aggravation. Every time another damaged machine showed up, I kept telling myself, “This can’t keep happening.” I couldn’t understand how companies could stay in business if expensive appliances kept arriving damaged. I assumed each one was just a one time incident. It wasn’t. It happened three times before I accepted that this was simply the risk of a seller using third party freight for heavy appliances. I also consider myself lucky. I eventually received refunds for all three damaged machines, but the third one was close. If I had not recorded the unboxing on video, I doubt I would have gotten my money back. The worst part was the last machine I had to return. Somehow the shipping company had completely removed the heavy protective base that the machine left the seller’s warehouse on. During transit, the base must have been damaged somehow, and they simply rewrapped the bottom of the machine in plain cardboard. When I unpacked it, the missing protective base was exactly where much of the damage had occurred. I’ve never seen anything like it. Maybe other people have had better experiences, but mine was enough. I’ll never order a large appliance again unless the seller delivers it using their own truck and staff. Think about how these third party shipping networks work. Your appliance may be loaded onto one truck, unloaded at a sorting facility, loaded onto another truck, unloaded again, and transferred five or six times before it finally reaches your home, five to six days after leaving the seller’s location. Every transfer is another opportunity for a heavy appliance to be dropped, bumped, banged, or mishandled. When a seller uses their own delivery fleet, the appliance usually goes directly from the warehouse onto one truck and is delivered by the seller’s own staff. They’re far more likely to handle it carefully because they’re responsible for both the delivery and any damage. Even if it does arrive damaged, you can simply refuse delivery while the crew is still there, and they can take it back immediately. You don’t have to drag it into your home, document everything, repackage it, carry it back downstairs, arrange a return shipment, and spend weeks fighting for a refund. After what I went through, I’d never take that risk again.
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