SINGAPORE has always been and
continues to be a shopper’s paradise. Although other major cities in the world
have also built shopping malls the city-state remains an attractive choice for
branded goods. The following are the experiences of people who frequent
Singapore for shopping. (Burhan Abe, The Jakarta Post, September 30, 2011)
Farah Quinn, Celebrity Chef
While I seldom go to Singapore
for shopping alone, during my frequent visits I am always tempted to do some
shopping, because the moment I step out of my hotel there are lines of malls
and shops. So the vibe is instantly shopping and nothing else.
Although shopping is not always
on the top of my to-do list, when I return to Indonesia I find that I am
carrying lots of things, including fashion items, apparel as well as the
cooking utensils that I need for my profession.
I also often purchase food items,
because although Singapore is lacking in natural resources and most of its food
items are imported, shopping for such things in Singapore is enjoyable due to
the available variety – more complete than here in Indonesia - and the
guaranteed quality.
Payment is quite convenient with
cash or credit card. What is unique is that we can get a refund for sales tax
at the airport.
Anastasia F. Sadikun, Businesswoman/Socialite
Why Singapore? Because of its
proximity to Indonesia. While shopping in Jakarta is equally attractive
nowadays, going to Singapore for shopping has an element of travelling abroad
as well. I used to fly to Singapore four to five times a month, but now being
tied up at the office I rarely visit the city-state.
I love to shop for fashion items,
especially handbags, and also wine, which is cheaper in Singapore than in
Indonesia, because here there is luxury goods tax levied on wine.
Apart from being close
geographically Singapore guarantees the products sold there including the
service. Once I bought a branded handbag costing Rp 40 million and when it was
damaged, just a little, mind you, they repaired it for free! This kind of
service brings me back to Singapore again and again. My shopping destination is
usually Orchard Road and I also like to go to Marina Bay Sands for shopping
because it is new, huge and very complete. For payment I can use a number of
credit cards, such as Master card, Visa or even Amex which has a more flexible
limit.
I go to Singapore not only for
shopping, for also for spa treatments and eating out, and for all this
Singapore is still heaven!
Ayi Tjakrawadena, Businesswoman
Singapore is a shopper’s heaven.
I can’t remember exactly how many times I have been there, but every time I
want a branded item Singapore is the right place. I think the main reason is
that it is simply so practical. I often I don’t have enough time to stay
overnight so I go in the morning and fly back at night. That way it is just
like going to a mall in Jakarta, but with a different ambience. In Singapore
the goods are up to date and during the sale season it is a perfect for women
to shop there.
The right time to shop in
Singapore is during the Great Sale which was from May 27 until July 24 this
year. Discounts were up to 70 percent on all items. Zara, for example, in
Singapore has a more complete range. At @313 Somerset Zara is available on
three floors. The labels are classified. There are special offers, discounts
and gifts when you use Master card which is the official sponsor. At that time
apart from the discounts Master card provided a return ticket to Singapore for
every purchase of $100 for non-local customers. Master card in Singapore can be
used at more than 100 shopping centers. Unfortunately the limit of my Master
card is less than my Visa (and it is usually like that) so I had to back it up
with some cash.
I often purchase wallets at
Takashimaya and Tangs on Orchard Road as most of my wallets do not last long as
somehow I frequently lose them. Wallets are suitable gifts for friends or
relatives. The original LV wallets here in Indonesia are more costly than in
Singapore. At Bonia wallet boutique there is often a 50 percent discount on
items while at Indonesia’s luxury malls the same items are labeled as new
arrivals. For MAC cosmetics one can exchange six containers for one brand new
item, so I always bring with me six empty lipstick containers to get one free
MAC lipstick. Isn’t that fantastic?
Singapore’s ViVo City is the
largest and most complete mall and it has a full range of branded goods,
restaurants and a large cinema complex. It is very close to Sentosa Island, so
if you have spare time you can dabble in gambling for a while. I sometime visit
the island when I accompany a foreigner to Singapore.
For less costly but still
original items go to OG on Bugis Street, which is similar to Jakarta’s Mangga
Dua which is also in China Town. But you can’t use credit cards at every shop
here, because the shops are small and rather congested like shops in a bazaar.
Virginia, Media Relations
Today traveling to Singapore has
become easier and more convenient with increased number of budget flights
available. Compared with other countries’ major cities Singapore still remains
the number one choice for shopping for Indonesians. If Hong Kong is Asia’s
Paris, then Singapore is its Milan for Indonesians.
Another notable consideration is
that Singapore has brands that are not available here, even though we have
improved substantially in that department but again we are trumped by the fact
that Singapore has more alluringly price tags. The fact that they give a GST
refund is the icing on the cake.
The extreme popularity of Orchard
Road is overwhelming. Even with newer shopping addresses being introduced
Orchard Road is still the most popular shopping destination. There is Forum,
Renaissance, Shaw Centre, CK Tang, ION Orchard, Wisma Atria, Ngee Ann City, of
course Lucky Plaza, Paragon, Mandarin Gallery, the increasingly popular Sommerset
313, further to Centerpoint and all the way down to Plaza Singapura. Shopping
in Orchard though generally defined from the junction of Orchard and Scott
roads down to Centerpoint if not Sommerset 313. The more central the more
premium the shopping is to a certain extent. The golden triangle would arguably
be ION Orchard, Ngee Ann City and Paragon. Not even The Shoppes at Marina Bay
Sands can compete, well not for now at least. Obviously Suntec and Vivo City
could not.
It just so happens that the
holiday season coincides with Singapore Great Sales, in the middle and end of
the year. It is these times of the year when Singapore celebrates retail
therapy, and guess who are there to celebrate? Proudly and unmistakably, the
Indonesians!
Yes, the tremendous prestige of
shopping in Singapore has managed to uphold its celebrated image. There is a
certain pride attached to the statement “I bought it in Singapore,” even though
it is an established fact that the prices are considerably less offensive.
Singapore independently has successfully established itself as a destination in
Southeast Asia, not only for Indonesians but also for Malaysians, Thais and
people from Brunei, among others. There are of course other reasons why
Singapore is such a popular destination such as business, medical treatment and
education, and more recently, gaming.
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