TIS THE SEASON NOT TO BE IN TOTAL JOLLY

Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid ul Fitr) is only days away and the heat of last-minute Raya shopping, on top of the annual balik kampung exodus, is immense. Though I would consider myself lucky for being still single and staying with parents (meaning I don't have to be among the thousands who's stranded in a 40-minute/km traffic jam), I still need to join the other folks in a 2-hour per meter standstill in downtown KL for my last-minute shopping.

After 38 years of celebrating Hari Raya, I still find myself devoid of the senses to commit to doing early Raya shopping. I procrastinate a lot I admit that. It's not my habit really but I seem to be dragging my feet when it comes to Raya shopping. I must admit, which I'm sure some would consider me a Raya Grinch, that I hate Raya shopping! I hate the fact that I will be driven to buying new baju kurung which only ends up collecting dust in the closet. And if I go shopping with my mum, I ended up buying more than one baju kurung! It doesn't make it any better when shops seem to think that they can go on and keep fooling their customers with 30% discounts after they had marked-up the prices to more than 50%. And if they're giving away 50% discounts, that would be after they've marked-up the so-called "original" price 70% higher. If this daylight robbery doesn't get you fuming, then I don't know what is.

Therefore, I dedicate this entry for a boutique-bashing spree.

You see, I wasn't born yesterday, and yet some of the boutiques that I had the misfortune at visiting, think that they can fool, whom they think an unsuspecting customer like me, into parting with my hard-earned ringgit on a cheap trashy so-called chiffon kaftan for RM890!!! I remember seeing almost the same exact dress on the Internet for RM180 only! I suppose the boutique owner (who is also an multi-level marketing a.k.a MLM queen) thinks we're all Neanderthals who see the computer as something we chew for breakfast, thereby devoid of outside information. In simpler term, she thinks we're bodoh i.e stupid.

Another boutique closer to my place also thinks they can ride us like asses. A set of baju kurung brought down from Vietnam, which usually priced at RM150 was sold for RM179 after 50% discount. After discount! I mean wtf do these people take us for? If I had came in earlier before the so-called sale period, I would have to fork out RM358. That is if I was stupid enough-lah in the first place as to fall for it. And how do I get to know about the standard price? Well, my sis' neighbour flies to Vietnam more often than she does to the haberdasher nearby. She goes there for the baju kurung, comes back here and sell them, usually not more than RM180 per set. Most of the times, she let us off with 3 instalments. And the baju kurung are mostly akin to the ones, though with different colours and beading design, on the racks in the blood-sucking boutique that I mentioned earlier.

I understand that these boutique owners need to pay the rent. But when I was studying business in UK, we learnt that profits made should hover around 30%. That's the rule. Unless the items on sale are unique or of designer's items, or have a timeless value attached to it, then you're just simply taking a ride on your customers. It's ok if you plan to stay in business for three months but otherwise, stop egging the pudding on the price tags. Customers are not numbskulls. They know when they are being pinched and when they do, no amount of marketing and "discounts" will save your ass.

When I do my Raya shopping, I have to be extra mindful of how much am I willing to part with my money over a nice-looking-but-not-necessarily-worth-it piece of clothing, or any item for that matter. It can be a very stressful chore indeed. Don't get me wrong. It's not that I hate shopping. I love shopping. I heart shopping. I just hate Raya shopping. For the fact that it's usually done during the Ramadan month makes it all the more stressful because I can't rest for tea, which I usually do in between my hopping from one shop to another. But there's no running away from doing it during this time of the season. I still need to do that shopping. And I shall need plenty of physical stamina to wade in the road and human traffic, as well as the mental grit when looking at the price tags.