Friska Notes

I visited Batam for 4 days and interested to buy electronics there since people always saying about how cheap those stuff. I came to Nagoya Hill at first day then Lucky Plaza Batam and both tried to rip me off, gave me digital camera price higher than the original.

I've browsed the original standard price in google and amazed how the sellers trying to cheat on us, buyers. They are trying to sell electronics from black market in higher price. How come! I'm intended only to buy camera when the price is lower than the original standard price, that's why I want to buy it in Batam. One example of their scam was: the seller offer me a digital camera Rp 1.500.000,- where the original standard price was Rp 900.000,- :O

Once, I've set the deal to buy the camera within Rp 2.000.000,- but the seller tried to rip me off by asked me to buy memory card Rp 350.000,- He said the warranty is given if I use that memory card only. When I refused to buy the memory card, he said that there was no more camera stock in his store. Wasting my time!
So people, just a suggestion for me when you are shopping in Batam:

1. Do you a safe player and want to have licensed warranty for your electronic buying in Batam? If your answer is YES, cancel your plan. Do not hope to buy the electronic in lower price but have the warranty. Warranty is valid when you buy it in official store and the electronic box have a seal. There is no such seal.
2. If you have no time to research more about your electronics-to-buy, cancel your plan. Knowledge is power. Those sellers would know whether you know about things you asked for or not, immidiately. It's such a very stupid thing when you buy something in Batam in higher price than in Jakarta-the expensive city.
3. When you do bargain, the last deal price from one store to other is not differ significantly. It's about Rp 50.000,-  to Rp 100.000,- Why? Because the store owners know each other, they could be friends, relatives, or even one person could own several stores. They even put CCTV connected their all stores so they could observe what stores we, buyers have visited.
4. Make sure you already know what you want, what is the specification, original standard price, and how to check its quality. Be sceptic in hearing what those sellers are saying.
5. Pay your transaction with cash (beware of pick pockets in Lucky Plaza Batam) or debit card. Never pay by credit card. Something weird within my transaction where the seller flipped my debit card, and he saw the back of it. If it was a credit card, he definitely would know my CVV number! Have no idea why he have to flip my card! Be careful for your transaction in Lucky Plaza Batam.
6. Bring local person to help you bargain the price.

At the end of the day, I bought my camera Rp 2.200.000,- from the original standard price is Rp 2.650.000,- and there is no seal on the box. Just praying the camera would be fine for many years.


Padang, 6 May 2013.