You hear so many stories of foreigners getting overcharged for things in Bali, but I heard a story this week about an Indonesian guy from Jakarta who was having problems with overcharging. I don't want to go into the whole story, but thought I would mention, that even locals from from other parts of Indonesia can have problems in Bali.
It's not just bule that get cheated
- Thread starter ryoshi
- Start date
An example from me. Several months ago I was looking for info on aquariums and was referred to the Bird market in Denpasar. I went there with Made and an aquarium the size I wanted.... but not really the style I wanted we were quoted 500,000. Last month, I went back alone as my fish were getting too big and I needed something bigger, even if I didnt like it, that would do until I could afford somthing better..... I got the same aquarium for 190,000.
I used to think it helped bring Made along, now I am not so sure! I think if they see what they think is a rich Indonesian (Made isn't) they charge even more!
I actually know some people with businesses that charge domestic tourists more than international as they say they are on holiday for 4/7 days with a load of money whereas backpackers have a load of money but to last a year....
I used to think it helped bring Made along, now I am not so sure! I think if they see what they think is a rich Indonesian (Made isn't) they charge even more!
I actually know some people with businesses that charge domestic tourists more than international as they say they are on holiday for 4/7 days with a load of money whereas backpackers have a load of money but to last a year....
I've noticed I get better prices if I handle the transaction myself rather than letting my girlfriend deal with it. If I let her do it, she gets slammed with a "bule standing in the corner tax", if I do it, I think I gain some respect for it, because most bules that they see just let the girlfriend take care of it.
Believe it or not but with my building project I do all the buying and equipment rentals and I have found time and time again that I can get better prices than the locals.
I can hear you all going "Suuuuure" now but in my experience the Balinese will not go nearly as far as I will to get a good price.
For instance: many of the Balinese will order all their windows from some Dempasary big name supplier who will charge them an arm and a leg. Why do they do it? Because they are victims of modern marketing - they see the adds telling them that what comes from the big city is better and having little or no experience in sceptical buying, they dive in. Funny thing is that the big city company may very well be having the stuff made in the vicinity of the eventual buyer...
And I will go to 5 different places to price stuff - the locals don't do that. They actually tend to go to the down town centers (Chinese usually) where the prices are much higher for the same stuff as at the businesses in the outlying areas. Same stuff, different prices - go figure?
I can hear you all going "Suuuuure" now but in my experience the Balinese will not go nearly as far as I will to get a good price.
For instance: many of the Balinese will order all their windows from some Dempasary big name supplier who will charge them an arm and a leg. Why do they do it? Because they are victims of modern marketing - they see the adds telling them that what comes from the big city is better and having little or no experience in sceptical buying, they dive in. Funny thing is that the big city company may very well be having the stuff made in the vicinity of the eventual buyer...
And I will go to 5 different places to price stuff - the locals don't do that. They actually tend to go to the down town centers (Chinese usually) where the prices are much higher for the same stuff as at the businesses in the outlying areas. Same stuff, different prices - go figure?