How can we use ARC w/Ruten!

I don’t want to be an appendix off my friends or wife, nor use a false ID. Many foreigners with ARC are using RUTEN. How can you sign up without a citizen id card. Phone harassment usually works, but I’d rather not. Are you guys using your wife, friends, or just making up an ID. I only plan on buying things, not selling and sending them to the convenience store. Just used Yahoo and spent 70NT more than I would have but still cheaper than the retail shop.

Help. I need to buy some things that are only available on line. I don’t like having to ask the spouse for clearance each time I make a minor purchase. Come on…

Like Credit cards and cell phone contracts, I’m sure there are exceptions made. But… I’d like to know what you guys use first. Are there any better options than ruten?

Of course you cannot sign up. You are a foreigner and Ruten never considered foreigners might want to use their service. After all the website is in Chinese and we all know foreigners cannot read Chinese. Besides it’s better that way since foreigners might cheat Taiwanese and then quickly move back to their home countries.

(Sarcasm, might be true though)

You will need to call and then fax/email them your passport and ARC. Typical process. Or they might bluntly say their service is not offered to foreigners.

I am with TS in this one. I have a friend who does the purchases for me on Taiwanese websites that do not take atoahs, like Ruten and Kimo. I have been buying stuff on my own on Ebay without a glitch. Would love to be able to do the same here. My bills are ot substantioally big but as the local economy goes, every bit helps.

Which is whu Hsinahi’s statement, though meant with sarcasm, is actually not far from the truth and pisses me off even more. Isn’t Taiwan all bla bla bla bout liberalization and internationalization? If I don’t pay, I don’t get my stuff! What’s the big deal!?

I have never heard harassing works. Might try that next MS cycle. Bit of PMS roaring might do the trick.

Just use some Taiwanese person’s number, but your name and address.

Like, did you get someone to give you their ROC number before you came here as a reference and you got it stored somewhere? (like a FB msg or something). Or you got a GF?

[quote=“puljaljuyan”]Just use some Taiwanese person’s number, but your name and address.

Like, did you get someone to give you their ROC number before you came here as a reference and you got it stored somewhere? (like a FB msg or something). Or you got a GF?[/quote]

For real? Isn’t that like using someones SSN in US?

^ What the hell is your avatar? Is that somebody taking a dump?

[quote=“Taiwan_Student”]I don’t want to be an appendix off my friends or wife, nor use a false ID. Many foreigners with ARC are using RUTEN. How can you sign up without a citizen id card. Phone harassment usually works, but I’d rather not. Are you guys using your wife, friends, or just making up an ID. I only plan on buying things, not selling and sending them to the convenience store. Just used Yahoo and spent 70NT more than I would have but still cheaper than the retail shop.

Help. I need to buy some things that are only available on line. I don’t like having to ask the spouse for clearance each time I make a minor purchase. Come on…

Like Credit cards and cell phone contracts, I’m sure there are exceptions made. But… I’d like to know what you guys use first. Are there any better options than ruten?[/quote]

I had no clue that the sign up was that painful of a process.

I threw in all my info and at the end of the day, got too lazy and did not want to press submit. I ended up using my significant other’s account.

For those of you that do not know, transactions are no walk in the park on Ruten. Usually you can’t go through online transactions (like using your credit card), money has to be wire transferred to the seller’s bank account. That can only be done at a post office, atm, or your local bank.

Most buyers charge extra for using the option of paying the courier (like 2x the amount of wire transferring).

As convenient as getting to a post office, atm, and local bank is. The transaction is still kind of annoying.

[spoiler]

“Renton decides to quit heroin and buys opium rectal suppositories from Mikey Forrester to ease the transition. After this final hit (and a violent spell of diarrhea caused by cessation of heroin) he locks himself into a cheap hotel room to endure withdrawal.”[/spoiler]

[spoiler]

“Renton decides to quit heroin and buys opium rectal suppositories from Mikey Forrester to ease the transition. After this final hit (and a violent spell of diarrhea caused by cessation of heroin) he locks himself into a cheap hotel room to endure withdrawal.”[/spoiler][/quote]

What the…

Ok I’m gunna have to watch that later.

I don’t know how Ruten was so hard to use for anyone without an ID number. I certainly do not recommend using someone else’s ID number… that is illegal and the same as using someone else’s SSN.

I honestly hate the use of ATM to buy something, it’s anything but convenient especially when you are not within walking distance to a 7-11. However I think it has to do with how credit cards aren’t that popular here… so nobody uses them for online purchases.

[quote=“Taiwan Luthiers”]I don’t know how Ruten was so hard to use for anyone without an ID number. I certainly do not recommend using someone else’s ID number… that is illegal and the same as using someone else’s SSN.

I honestly hate the use of ATM to buy something, it’s anything but convenient especially when you are not within walking distance to a 7-11. However I think it has to do with how credit cards aren’t that popular here… so nobody uses them for online purchases.[/quote]

Not walking distance to a 7-11? I assume you’re not in Taipei?

near yangming shan and at least 15 minutes walk to a 7-11. It’s not far but the weird intersection between zhicheng rd and yangde blvd. adds at least 10 minutes to any commute.

It might be worth it to pay the extra amount to have the courier send it to your door then.

[quote=“Taiwan Luthiers”]I don’t know how Ruten was so hard to use for anyone without an ID number. I certainly do not recommend using someone else’s ID number… that is illegal and the same as using someone else’s SSN.
[/quote]

Illegal? I wouldn’t go as far as saying it’s illegal. You’re buying something off the internet is almost nothing like using someone’s social security number (U.S. system’s health care ID # for those of you who aren’t familiar), to get healthcare.

The person lending you the account will be responsible for you selling/buying an item. They take all the risk if you do not pay them for the item they helped you pay for or if you end up not sending the item you sold after the buyer wire transferred you the money. So it’s their decision if they trust you or not.

Definitely wouldn’t go as far as calling it fraudulent actions. :sunglasses:

Given that foreigners have the short end of the stick when it comes to legal affairs here, I’d rather advise not to pursue this method unless said person is your significant other, and then, even so. I am an advocate of independence in all matters, especially all economic related matters, so when push comes to shove atoah is not left holding the short end of the stick.

I pay 5% commission for the shopping. It works well for everyone. But while this arrangement works, it is not the ideal. If we foreigners have bank accounts here and credit cards and residence, why can’t we shop on normal channels like any other customer?

I would raise a stink with how we cannot use an internationally accepted system like PayPal but that is another story.

In the US using a SSN that doesn’t belong to you is still illegal, even if you’re not using it to get healthcare benefit (for example, use it to rent apartments, get credit cards, etc.) so I would think using someone else’s ID number falls under the same.

[quote=“Icon”]Given that foreigners have the short end of the stick when it comes to legal affairs here, I’d rather advise not to pursue this method unless said person is your significant other, and then, even so. I am an advocate of independence in all matters, especially all economic related matters, so when push comes to shove atoah is not left holding the short end of the stick.

I pay 5% commission for the shopping. It works well for everyone. But while this arrangement works, it is not the ideal. If we foreigners have bank accounts here and credit cards and residence, why can’t we shop on normal channels like any other customer?

I would raise a stink with how we cannot use an internationally accepted system like PayPal but that is another story.[/quote]

I remember you raising the PayPal “rant” earlier in this thread (or was it in another thread). I’m not a big PayPal user, but if websites here in Taiwan were anything like Amazon. It would be glorious. Free 2 day shipping!!

However, don’t hear too many accounts of hacks or fraud in the states when it comes to Amazon. One of the main reasons for such high security on auction sights like this is because there was a period where people were getting cheated of their money.

I would still have to respectfully disagree on this. I think it’s still rather different when it comes to Taiwan ID and SSN. SSN is much closer to Taiwan healthcare ID card (Jian Bao). We can argue for ages really, but I see where you’re coming from, not everyone sees eye to eye on everything.

Icon has it right, unless that person is your significant other or a trustworthy family member, I wouldn’t use a friend’s account for purchases. Unless of course that person is your brotha/sista from anotha motha. :sunglasses: :sunglasses:

Your jianbao number is the same as your ID number if you are Taiwanese. It is obviously different if you are a foreigner (and obviously have no ID number).

It is also used for purposes such as renting houses, opening bank accounts, getting a credit card, etc.

SSN is used in the US for the same purpose, even though the law states it is NOT to be used as identification number in practice it is.

The ROC ID number scheme is an open standard, and is well documented here:

zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%AD% … 6%E8%AD%89
(have a look within the 編號規則 section for the specification)

Each number follows a standard pattern, and valid numbers satisfy well-defined mathematical properties.

As far as I know, Ruten only requires that you sign up with an number that meets the specification. To that end, people have produced software to generate these numbers automatically. For example:

people.debian.org/~paulliu/ROCid.html

They all do. The numbers tell where the person was born, etc.

SSN sort of does the same thing… and I am sure you can generate a random SSN that falls within a specific parameter too. However there is a law against misrepresentation of SSN in the US, or rather using a SSN that aren’t assigned to you for any purpose.

This is so Lame… I cannot break the law. If I generate a random number, I may cause problems for someone who is assigned that number at a later time. Then… I would cause real financial cost to someone trying to sign up legitimately and may get into leagal trouble at worst and have to make up/pay back/pay for/ the trouble I caused at best.

Remember. There is no Ruten. Ruten in dead! Ruten is PC HOME. PC HOME is an internationally recognized company that has international business interests. They represent SKYPE, here in Taiwan. They could not deny me, even if they wanted to. I used Skype in American, how can I not use it in Taiwan. I had to register, send photo copies of my id, passport, first born… but I got it.

Time to Embarass them. Form a block of people that want to join. Show them that we are "head of house holds or at least a very important part where the other half is so busy working that the foreigner has to take care of children and other household duties like buying, driving and other things. We own cars, we pay bills, why should we not be permitted to fufill our responsibility.

Now, I legally can’t be denied a job, if I qualify unless there is a conflict to national security, I really doubt we can legally be denied consumer service if we choose to fight for it. (It says an APARC holder can work at any job a Taiwanese can do except for certain positions…)

I got my credit car through harassing nicely, screaming discrimination. I had a Costco credit card for over ten years. How dare they deny me with new company. I got Costco to argue for me. It worked. Other things in the past worked to. As for payment. I like paying cash at the convenience store. I use Yahoo now, but it is a bit more expensive. My wife uses ruten, but I don’t want to pass every purchase though the wife… We should be able to secure reasonable access to ruten, the right to use a domestic credit card or COD. If we form a block, there really is no reason to deny us.
I would suggest forming a group. Get some Chinese literate legal eagle to write a plea in a closed letter. Then open the conversation by moving to open letters. Also, let the bosses of Ruten know each time we use an other service, they could have had a sale by sending them the receipts or empty boxes.
Question to people who use buying agents and pay around 5%. Why? I already have a “buying agent”. A friend who is a shop owner. He will let me use his account and ship the item to my favorite 7-11. But again… I’d rather do it myself. Pay 5% or use the wife choice. I’d use the wife. Isn’t 5% a lot of money?