Shops are luring buyers

Shops are luring buyers

JAKARTA (JP): Discounts are drawing Jakartans by the thousands
to local shopping centers in anticipation of the Idul Fitri
holiday, which marks the end of the Ramadhan fasting month this
March 3 and 4.

At Pasar Baru, a sprawling shopping complex in Central
Jakarta, people were mainly targeting the stores with the biggest
discounts, which reached 50 percent in certain places. Over-
capacity crowds pushed eager customers out the doors and into the
malls to fight the rest of the holiday-crazed shoppers.

Antara reported yesterday that discounted prices were in all
the shopping centers from Blok M Plaza in South Jakarta to
CitraLand Mall in West Jakarta. Famous department stores like
Robinson, Ramayana, Matahari and Borobudur are also offering
discounts of up to 50 percent.

Angela Yulita of Metro Pondok Indah, a shopping mall in the
elite Pondok Indah housing estate in South Jakarta, said that
Metro has arranged a 32-day Idul Fitri promotion from Feb. 3 to
March 5.

"We're offering some brand-name apparels like Jean Paul
Gaultier and Chantal Thomas at reduced prices during the
promotion," she said.

Angela said that Metro will finish the promotion with a big
sale on March 10 until April 2.

Pasar Senen, one of the oldest traditional markets located in
Central Jakarta, was also swamped by discount-hungry shoppers
looking for clothing and comestibles as well.

The news agency reported that conditions in the Pasar Senen
area have been aggravated by the Senen railway station, which is
located nearby and packed with people waiting to go home.

A cookies seller said that his daily revenues have
substantially increased to Rp 1 million. He did not disclose his
income on ordinary days.

Hero Supermarket, however, has been the exception.

Maris Stella, a Public Relation Coordinator at Hero, was
quoted by Kompas daily recently as saying that the company is not
giving any discounts.

Hero's deputy marketing manager Priyatna Suciono said that
the decision was made because its prices are already competitive
compared to the other supermarkets.

Priyatna said that Hero will stay open during the Idul Fitri
holiday. (mas)