Money Story: Reno tip buying designer item from 🇮🇹
During my renovation, I fell in love with the PH5 pendant light after seeing it in person at a local home store. It looked even better in real life — I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
The problem? Ordering locally meant waiting three months, and the price was pretty steep.
At the time, an interior designer had recommended an overseas website that had it in stock. When he first sent me the link, there was a discount. But of course… by the time I checked again, the sale was over and it was back to full price. 🥲
Then I remembered an Italian online store called mohd, where I had previously bought another lamp. The color I wanted wasn’t listed on their website, so I messaged customer service just to ask. To my surprise, they could special order it. And the quote they gave me was more than 500 SGD cheaper than other options I had seen. Even after adding shipping and taxes, it still worked out to over 300 cheaper than buying locally — and the wait time was only about one month.
I had almost given up on the lamp, but suddenly it felt like I had to grab this deal.
We went back and forth over email for about 4–5 days. The Italian team’s English wasn’t perfect, so it took a few rounds to clarify everything. Even the payment needed a couple of tries before it went through successfully.
But overall, the experience was solid.
Why I felt comfortable ordering:
✨ mohd is a well-known Italian designer furniture e-commerce site. I contacted them through the professional customer service system on their website and received replies through the same official channel.
✨ They provided a formal quotation with company details and official stamp.
✨ Payment was made via official PayPal.
Looking back, it was definitely worth the extra effort. If you’re renovating and eyeing designer pieces, it might be worth checking overseas retailers — sometimes the savings are surprisingly significant.
When considering purchasing designer items during a renovation, I found that patience and research truly pay off. For example, the PH5 pendant light I wanted is not only a timeless piece but also quite pricey when bought locally. I initially thought ordering from local stores was the only option but the long wait time and high cost made me reconsider. Exploring overseas retailers, especially trusted e-commerce platforms like mohd in Italy, opened up avenues for better deals. It’s crucial to communicate clearly with customer service since language barriers might slow down the process, but persistence leads to success. In my case, the Italian team's customer service was responsive via official channels, which gave me additional confidence to proceed. Always ensure the overseas seller provides formal quotations with official stamps and reliable payment methods such as PayPal to protect yourself. These steps helped me avoid potential scams and ensured a smooth transaction. Another insight I gained was to be flexible with color or model availability—sometimes inquiring directly can reveal options not listed online, like the special order color I ended up choosing. Despite a few days of back-and-forth emails and payment retries, the final savings of over SGD 300 and a shorter wait time of about a month made the effort worthwhile. For anyone renovating and eyeing designer furniture or lighting, checking international stores can lead to significant savings. Before purchasing, always read reviews, verify seller credentials, and prepare for some communication challenges. These small efforts can make a big difference economically and enhance your renovation experience with unique, quality pieces.
