Tips on Shopping

Hours -- Shopping malls are generally open from 10am to 9pm Monday through Saturday, with some stores keeping shorter Sunday hours. The malls sometimes remain open until 10pm on holidays. Smaller shops are open from around 10am to 5pm Monday through Saturday but are almost always closed on Sundays. Hours will vary from shop to shop. Arab Street is closed on Sundays.

Prices -- Almost all of the stores in shopping malls have fixed prices. Sometimes these stores will have seasonal sales, especially in July, when they have the month-long Great Singapore Sale, during which prices are marked down, sometimes up to 50% or 75%. In the smaller shops and at street vendors, prices are sometimes not marked, and vendors will quote you higher prices than the going rate in anticipation of the bargaining ritual. These are the places to find good prices, if you negotiate well.

Bargaining -- In Singapore, many shopkeepers cling to the old tradition of not fixing prices on their merchandise, instead making every item's purchase a little performance piece by insisting their customers bargain for it. For Westerners who are unaccustomed to this tradition, bargaining can be embarrassing and frustrating at first -- after all, Westerners are accustomed to accepting fixed prices without an argument, and if you don't know the protocol, you can't be sure what to do. All it takes is a little practice, though, and soon you'll be bargaining with the best of 'em. I've seen many travelers go into their first market like lambs to the slaughter, only to loosen up after a few encounters and begin to enjoy the process for the sport it really is.

The most important thing to remember when bargaining is to keep a friendly, good-natured banter between you and the seller. Getting him or her mad won't save you a dime, and if you get 'em really riled up, they won't sell you anything at any price and will just throw you out. But don't let that scare you; just be nice and patient, and you'll get where you want to go.

One important tip for bargaining is to first have an idea of the value of what you're buying. This can be difficult for unusual items, but a little comparison shopping here may help you out. Try to look like you live in Singapore. A lot of the local European and North American residents shop at these places, so you won't look out of place. If a salesperson asks you where you are from, don't smile and say London or San Francisco, but try "Holland Village," the neighborhood where many Western expatriates live. If they think you're an expat, many times they'll give you a better price in the hopes of getting a repeat customer.

A simple "How much?" is the place to start, to which they'll reply with their top price. Let the bidding begin! It's always good to come back with a little smile and ask, "Is that your best price?" They'll probably come down a bit, but if it's obvious they're trying to soak you, tell them you'll pay a price that's about half of what they had originally offered; otherwise, just knock about 30% or 40% off. The standard reaction from them will always be to look at you like you're a crazy person for even suggesting such a discount -- but don't falter! This is standard technique. For each little bit their price comes down, bring yours up just a bit until you reach a price you like. If you're having trouble talking them down, try these strategies: When buying more than one item, ask for a generous discount on the less expensive item. If you've seen it cheaper elsewhere, tell them. Or you can pull the old, "But I only have $20" ploy. (Just make sure you don't turn around and ask them to change a $50!) Try anything, even if it's just a wink and a little, "Don't you have any special discounts for ladies shopping on Wednesdays?"

Some people have said that once you start the bargaining ritual, it's rude to walk away and not purchase the item. Well, I see it this way: It's my money, and if I still don't feel comfortable shelling it out, then I won't do it under any feeling of obligation. (However, if you've spent hours negotiating over a high-priced item, and the owner agrees to your offer, it will be considered harsh to walk away after going through all that trouble.) Besides, the final bargaining strategy is to just politely say, "No, thank you" and walk away. You'll be surprised at how fast prices can come down as you're walking out the door.

Global refund Scheme -- When you shop in stores that display the blue "Tax Free Shopping" logo, the government will refund the goods and services tax (GST) you pay on purchases totaling S$100 (US$64/£33) or more. Upon request, the sales clerk will fill out a Tax Free Shopping Cheque, which you retain with your receipt. If you've purchased that S$100 (US$64/£33) worth at the same store but on different dates, you can still claim the refund for all of the items. When you leave Singapore, present your checks at Customs along with your passport and let them see the goods you've purchased to show that you're taking them out of the country with you. Customs will stamp the forms, which you then present at any of the Global Refund Counters in the airport for an on-the-spot cash refund (in Singapore dollars), a check, a direct transfer of the amount to your credit card account, or an airport shopping voucher. To qualify you must spend at least S$300 (US$192/£99) overall, and you can't receive a refund of more than S$500 (US$320/£165) per person. You can also claim cash or credit refunds anytime during your stay at one of four downtown counters: Centrepoint Shopping Centre Customer Service Counter, Level 1, 176 Orchard Rd.; Funan Digitalife Mall, Information Counter Level 2, 109 North Bridge Rd.; Sim Lim Square, Information Counter, Level 1, 1 Rochor Canal Rd.; and Wisma Atria, Customer Service Centre, Level 1, 435 Orchard Rd. If you chose to claim your refund downtown, you only need to show receipts; however, goods and all paperwork still must be shown upon departure at the airport. For complete details, call the Global Refund Scheme hot line at tel. 65/6225-6238; www.globalrefund.com.

Another company, Premier Tax Free (www.premiertaxfree.com), also offers GST refunds with kiosks at the airport.

Clothing Sizes -- Those of you used to shopping in big-and-tall stores will unfortunately find little ready-to-wear clothing in Singapore that'll fit you -- but that doesn't mean you can't take advantage of the many excellent tailors around town. Shopping for ready-made clothing in standard sizes can be confusing, because clothing made in Singapore is generally for export and everything else is imported from outside. This means that clothing in local shops can reflect American, British, or Continental sizes, depending on which country it came from or was intended for.