...while some others cheer on their arrival

...while some others cheer on their arrival

Evi Mariani and Tb. Arie Rukmantara, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Consumers across Greater Jakarta have welcomed the arrival of
"made-in-China" products to the Indonesian market as they feel
they have benefited from cheaper prices, albeit concerns over low
quality remains.

Customers of various consumer products, from sewing kits,
textile fabrics, snacks, and motorcycles, say that cheap Chinese
products save them money.

"I could save hundreds of thousands of rupiah if I buy
made-in-China toys, rather than those made in Japan or Taiwan,"
said Arif Rahman Hamzah, a 25-year old who collects gasuphon,
Japanese animation figurines.

He said that the original made-in-Japan gasuphon could be
worth from hundreds of thousands to millions of rupiah. Since the
Japanese toy factories decided to give licenses to Chinese
manufacturers, the toys' prices have dropped to around Rp 15,000
to Rp 50,000.

A buyer of a made-in-China cellular phone, Haier, said that
even though the popularity of his cellphone was low, the function
was similar to other products such as Nokia, the most popular
mobile phone in the country.

"I can buy a cellphone with a unique shape, which has the same
functions as other cellphones. Moreover, a new one costs less
than Rp 1 million, while a new Nokia product costs from Rp 1.5
million to more than Rp 10 million," said Didit Marsudi, who owns
the slim shaped Haier D 6000 costing Rp 660,000.

Haier, a Chinese manufacturer popular for its home appliances,
offers four types of cellphone in the Indonesian market, each
costing less than Rp 2 million.

Apart from consumers, hawkers are also happy with cheaper
Chinese products adding to their sales and income.

"I've been selling Chinese goods for three years. I can earn
Rp 100,000 or even more a day, which is quite a healthy sum for
my single life," said Herry, who sells the goods on buses in
Jakarta.

"I worked in factory before. My income as a worker is meager
compared to my income now," he added.

Herry was selling belts for Rp 10,000 and Rp 15,000 each, from
which he said he made a Rp 5,000 to Rp 7,000 margin per belt.

"I prefer selling goods with a price above Rp 5,000. The
margin is bigger. But I got lots of revenue when I sold a shaver
a couple months ago. The thing was a hit. Unfortunately, my
supplier does not import the shaver anymore," Herry said, adding
that his supplier in Glodok changed products every once in a
while.

Separately, Hardi, a hawker from Serang, said that although
competition among hawkers on his turf at two junior high schools
was stiff, he still managed to earn Rp 100,000 to Rp 150,000 a
day.

"I work seven days a week. On Saturday and Sunday the school
buildings are used for religious teaching, so I have customers at
weekends," Hardi, who has been hawking for four years, said.

"I've got some loyal customers in the schools," he said,
smiling happily.