Thu, Mar 26, 2009 page15

• Online group buying — A great way to save money 省錢妙招 ─ 網路合購！

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  In these tough economic times, it is not only important to find new sources of income but also to cut down on expenditure. Online group buying is now extremely popular, with one well-known group buying Web site's revenue jumping from NT$13 million last August to NT$27 million at the end of last year, and an average of more than 700 new groups being established each day. These figures demonstrate that more and more people are using the Internet in smart ways to save money.

  By using online group buying, it is easy to find more people in a short period of time to share freight costs and to buy in bulk so as to lower prices. It is also easier to get bigger discounts when more people take part in a group purchase.

  Taiwan's earliest form of online group buying can be traced back to Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) in universities. Taiwan's largest BBS site, PTT, has a group buying board that was established in 2004 and has done a lot to help people locate and buy various gourmet foods from around Taiwan.

  

  During these bleak economic times, group buying has become extremely popular. This photo was taken at a meeting organized by group buyers to collect products bought online. More than one hundred people attended this exchange and they told us that by choosing to collect their products at places near where they live, they can save anywhere from a few hundred to more than NT$1,000 a month and that this makes online group buying very worthwhile for them. 經濟不景氣，團購發威。圖為上百名透過網路團購民眾面交的場景。團購民眾表示，選擇住家附近面交，一個月可省數百到上千元，相當划算。照片：台北時報

  PHOTO: TAIPEI TIMES

  Liu Ching-hao, sales manager from group buying Web site Ihergo said that the lackluster economy has made people think hard about how they can save money, making online group buying suddenly very popular. Liu said that record amounts of people are visiting the Web site and that the site's takings have doubled. Chia Ching who sets up more than 60 group buys per month said: “Group buying is especially convenient for nuclear families. Not only do they not have to worry that their family isn't big enough to warrant buying certain items, but they can also get speciality dishes that don’t cost an arm and a leg.”

  Chia said the largest purchase she ever made was a massage chair that had a market price of approximately NT$200,000. Chia got the chair for NT$140,000 after buying three of them with her friends.

  She suggests doing some research before taking part in a group buy and that the only way to save money smartly is by staying aware of the price of the goods you want to buy.

  There have been recent reports of fraud rings getting involved in group buying and setting up group buys to swindle legitimate buyers. This has made buyers worried when they make their payments. Chia said the best way for buyers to protect themselves is to be familiar with the rules of each group buy, the related laws and not to be greedy.

  (LIBERTY TIMES,TRANSLATED BY DREW CAMERON)

  景氣不好，除了開源，節流也很重要。網路合購現正當紅，知名合購網合購總金額從去年八月的一千三百萬元暴衝到去年底的兩千七百萬元，平均每天開團數達七百多團，顯示透過網路聰明省錢的民眾越來越多。

  網路合購容易在短時間找到更多「團員」來分攤運費，以量制價，爭取的折扣也會比較多。

  追溯網路合購的起源，最初來自校園BBS，國內最大BBS站批踢踢合購板於二００四年開板，五年來造就不少「合購美食」的傳奇。

  合購網站「愛合購」業務經理劉謦豪表示，不景氣讓民眾苦思如何省錢，網路合購頓時成為焦點，不僅網站瀏覽人數屢創新高，交易金額也成長了一倍。每月開超過六十團的主購佳靜表示，「合購對小家庭尤其方便，不但省去人口少、不易採買的困擾，還能用很經濟的價格吃到各種名產。」

  佳靜說，她買過最誇張的一次是買按摩椅，市價約二十萬元的按摩椅，跟朋友合買三台，一台降到十四萬元。

  她建議參與團購前最好先做功課，對想買的東西價格要保持敏銳度，才能聰明省更多。

  不過，近期傳出詐騙集團滲入合購，借發起團購騙走款項，讓團員付款時心裡怕怕。佳靜建議，熟悉團購規則及相關法律，還有不要太貪小便宜才能保護自己。（自由時報）

  For your information

  TODAY’S WORDS 今日單字

  1. income n. 收入 (shou1 ru4) 例: Sasha's income has dropped by 10 percent since last year. (莎夏的收入從去年起減少了一成。) 2. discount n. 折扣 (zhe2 kou4) 例: The carpet salesman offered us a discount, but we still weren't interested. (那個地毯業務提供了折扣優惠，但還是引不起我們的興趣。) 3. locate v.i./v.t. 確定...的地點 (que4 ding4...de5 di4 dian3)，找到 (zhao3 dao4) 例: The divers finally located the sunken warship. (潛水夫們終於找到那艘沈沒的軍艦。) 4. research n. 研究 (yan2 jiu4) 例: Louise did a lot of research before going to Africa. (露易絲去非洲前做了很多研究。)

  For your information

  SAY WHAT? 說說看

  cost an arm and a leg 所費不貲 If something costs an arm and a leg it is very expensive. Examples: “Our wedding reception cost an arm and a leg but it was worth it, because we all had an unforgettable day,” or “I can’t believe that this printer is broken already. It cost me an arm and a leg and now I have to pay to get it repaired.” 如果某物「cost an arm and a leg」，就表示它非常昂貴。 例如：「我們的婚宴花了一大筆錢，不過很值得，因為我們都過了難忘的一天」，或是「我不敢相信這台印表機已經壞了，我買的時候花了一大筆錢，結果現在又得花錢去修理」。

  For your information

  OUT LOUD 對話練習

  Noel: What do you think of my new guitar? Peter: It looks good. Where did you get it? Noel: I bought it on eBay. It only cost $200 dollars. Peter: That’s a good price. Weren’t you worried that you’d get cheated? Noel: There is a risk because a few people are trying to pull a fast one, but most sellers are very honest. Peter: That’s good to know. I might buy something myself. Noel: You should. Why don’t you buy some drums, then we can form a band? 諾爾：你覺得我的新吉他如何？ 彼得：看起來不錯，你在哪裡買的？ 諾爾：我在eBay上買的，只要兩百元而已。 彼得：這價錢很不錯，但你不擔心被騙嗎？ 諾爾：是有這個風險，不過網路上只有少數人想騙錢，大部份的賣家還是很誠實的。 彼得：這樣我就放心了，我可能會幫自己買些東西。 諾爾：你可以試試看。不如你買一組鼓我們來合組樂團吧？ pull a fast one　騙人 Somebody pulls a fast one if they trick or deceive you. For example, “A stranger asked me for money for his bus fare but I think he was trying to pull a fast one.” 若某人「pull a fast one」就表示他們玩弄或欺騙了你。例如：「有個陌生人向我要搭公車的錢，不過我覺得他只是想騙人而已」。
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