26/08/2026
A few reminders for our clients 🤍
We just want to share some reminders based on a few things that happened recently. We’re not posting this to argue or blame anyone. We just want to avoid the same problems in the future and make everything smoother for both our clients and our small business.
1. PLEASE DOUBLE-CHECK THE ITEMS BEFORE RETURNING THEM
Recently, we had a rental with several pieces, including dresses and a lot of barongs. Since there were many barongs for their event, some of the barongs got mixed up. When they were returned, 4 barongs were not from our collection, while the rest were ours.
We understand that mistakes can happen, especially when there are many items. But please, when renting from us, kindly double-check everything before returning. Make sure that the items are complete and that they are really the same items you received from us.
Our collections already have value to us. Not only because of their cost. We personally measure them, take photos, edit them, give them collection numbers/names, and organize everything carefully so it is easier for our clients to choose and rent from us. So, it’s not as simple as just buying another similar barong from another shop or giving us a different barong just because it is also a barong. A different barong is still a different item. If you received a specific barong from us, that exact barong is what we expect to be returned.
We personally chose these pieces and took the time to look for them. We checked their quality, design, and overall appearance before adding them to our collection. These were not simply items we found and bought because they were available. We specifically chose each piece for our collection. We also do not get all of our items from the same shop or supplier, so finding another barong with the exact same design, quality, and details is not always easy.
This can also affect other clients who already reserved that specific item. We also can’t always adjust immediately if a piece suddenly goes missing or gets replaced with something different. So please be responsible with the items you rent from us. If you notice any problem, missing item, wrong item, or anything unusual, please tell us immediately so we can find a solution together instead of finding out only when the items are returned.
2. ABOUT DELIVERY FEES
This also happened recently. There was a delivery where the client wasn’t at home and only her son was there, so they asked me to pay in cash the payment for the delivery fee first cause they dont have cash. And that they will send it later to me. The rider then told me there was an additional ₱50 fee because the delivery was on priority and there was no other booking combined with it. Lalamove rates can really change depending on the situation. Sometimes the rate is low, and sometimes it becomes higher.
At that time, I was very busy and in a rush, so I paid the delivery fee first because I understood that the client would be the one shouldering it. The delivery fee was only ₱79, but I didn’t have the exact amount. I only had a ₱100 bill and a ₱50 bill. I gave the rider ₱100 and was expecting ₱21 in change. He then told me about the additional ₱50 priority fee, so I gave him the ₱50 as well. However, I wasn’t given the ₱21 change, so I ended up paying ₱150 in total. Afterwards, when I asked the client to reimburse the additional fee, they did not want to pay even the ₱50 extra. The reason was that they said they were not informed beforehand.
I understand that I also made a mistake because I wasn’t able to inform the client immediately when the rider asked for the additional fee. I also told the rider, “Akala ko ₱79 lang po, sir kasi wala naman pong nakalagay na additional fee/priority, and hindi rin po ako na-inform ng client ko. Paki-chat na lang din po siya, sir, if there’s an additional fee, and I’ll inform ma’am about it later. Paki-check na lang din po sa chat if aware po siya para mapag-usapan niyo po, baka kasi hindi rin po nila alam about it.”
I thought the client already knew about the additional fee because the rider told me, “Alam na nila yun.” That’s why I didn’t hesitate to pay it first, since I understood that the client would be the one to shoulder the delivery fee and any additional charges.
We’re sharing this because we also learned from what happened. Moving forward, we will try our best to communicate any additional charges before paying whenever possible. But we also kindly ask our clients to understand that any delivery fee or additional fee charged by the rider should be shouldered by the client, as stated in our reminders. We also don’t control Lalamove rates or what the rider may charge depending on the delivery. Riders are also just trying to earn a living. Sometimes the delivery rate they receive is low, so if there is a legitimate additional charge, we hope we can understand their side as well.
3. ABOUT ONLINE PAYMENT TO RIDERS
There are also times when riders accept online payments through GCash, especially if we don’t have enough cash or wallet balance in the app. However, since they still need to cash out the payment, there may be an additional fee that needs to be covered. Based on our experience, this is actually quite common, and riders may ask for an additional amount for the cash-out fee. So, if you have cash available, we kindly ask that you pay in cash whenever possible, especially if the rider prefers cash. If you prefer to pay online, that’s completely fine as well. We just kindly ask that you be aware that an additional cash-out fee may apply if requested by the rider, and that you cover the full delivery amount, including any applicable fee.
Thankfully, everything has been settled and is okay now. We’re sharing these reminders not because we want to dwell on what happened, but because we want to learn from these experiences and prevent similar situations in the future.
We know that not every situation will go perfectly, and we also know that we have things we can improve on. We are learning from these experiences and doing our best to improve our service. At the same time, we hope our clients can also be responsible on their part. We’re also just a small business trying our best to provide affordable rental prices and good service while taking care of our collections.
We really don’t want to argue with anyone. We just want everything to be smooth, fair, and easy for everyone. Thank you so much for your understanding, patience, support, and for trusting Vian’s Collection. 😊
