Shop till you drop...
T. Sima Gunawan, Contributor, Jakarta
For many people, shopping is a necessity. There is always an excuse to go shopping at any time, let alone during the holiday season, when big discounts are often on offer.
Now is a great time to go shopping as many discounts are available. During year-end sales, some merchants offer discounts up to 70 percents, while others lure buyers with offers of "buy two, get one free." How could one resist if a designer dress that formerly carried a label of, let's say, more than Rp 2 million, now costs 'only' Rp 1 million?
Of course, one should not buy stuff just because it's offered at a special price. Even though the product is made by a top designer and it looks really nice, and seems to scream "buy me," this does not necessarily mean that it should be purchased. There are questions to ask like: "do I really need it?"
It is better to have a shopping list because impulsive shopping is dangerous, especially for your pocket. Now that many consumers have one or more credit cards in their purse or wallet, shopping becomes really easy as we can buy many things and pay later.
"Shopping is a bit like gambling," a woman said, arguing that she'd never know how an item would integrate with the rest of the wardrobe. She likes buying clothes but it turns out that she never wears some of them simply because she has no other outfits to match them. So, her Chloi jacket just hangs in her closet with the price tag still attached, two years after she bought it.
Aside from the big discounts, there are many other reasons to go shopping. Many people usually have a reason to buy new clothes when they are invited to a special occasion like a wedding reception or a birthday party. "I have nothing to wear," is the common excuse. (Which is actually not quite right, and should be corrected to "I have nothing new to wear.")
Another pulling factor in the shopping phenomenon is the number of opulent shopping malls with not only quality products and good service but also a pleasant atmosphere that makes shopping an enjoyable experience. Just to mention a few: Taman Anggrek Mall in West Jakarta, Pluit Mall in North Jakarta, Kelapa Gading Mall in East Jakarta, and Plaza Indonesia and Plaza Semanggi in Central Jakarta, while South Jakarta has Pondok Indah Mall and Plaza Senayan.
The largest shopping center in town is Kelapa Gading Mall, which covers a total area of 130,000 square meters with approximately 600 tenants. While the newest up-market shopping mall is Pondok Indah Mall 2, which opened just a few months ago. It is located opposite the first Pondok Indah Mall, and is connected by a shopping bridge.
Virtually everything is available at shopping malls these days, from clothes, shoes, bags, beauty products, food supplements, watches, jewelry, toys, books, stationery, household equipment and electronic goods. As well as a great variety of fashion apparel created by both local and international designers.
If you want to have your hair cut or cream bathed, shopping malls now invariable have beauty salons.
Shopping malls also offer entertainment centers, like cinemas and children's gaming areas. Taman Anggrek Mall even has an ice- skating arena and eX has a fitness center. EX, a uniquely designed entertainment center adjacent to Plaza Indonesia, opened in February 2004.
And last but not least, there are a lot of good food and beverage shops in shopping malls. International coffee shops like Starbucks and Coffee Bean as well as restaurants offering local or international cuisine, from Japanese and Korean and Western food, are all available.
Jakarta might lag behind some other Asian countries in terms of economic development, but certainly not in terms of shopping facilities. Like Singapore and Hong Kong that have long been known as shopping paradises, Jakarta is also a great place to shop. Happy shopping!