Grand Indonesia and Plaza Indonesia in Central Jakarta offer visitors nearly all the world’s most expensive products; Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Gucci are all available, as are top restaurants.

As many are getting ready for the long weekend beginning on Thursday, it is worth considering a visit to another shopping center, this one only 1 kilometer from those malls.

Pasar Tanah Abang (Tanah Abang Market) is famous, and not only in Jakarta. It has an international reputation as a wholesale center for textiles, clothes, shoes and batik, to mention just a few examples.

As in other markets in the world, the presence of Chinese products is evident. Some traders say Chinese imports dominate the trading at the market, as it is 40 percent of the total trading. But, many traders insist that Indonesian goods are actually of better quality and more fashionable.

People can pay Rp 500,000 (US$58) for a shirt at Grand Indonesia, while at Tanah Abang Blok A, the largest section of the market, they can find a similar shirt for only Rp 80,000.

The price of batik at Tanah Abang is also very competitive and there is much variety, even when compared to markets in Yogyakarta and Surakarta. Traders at Tanah Abang also supply textiles and other commodities to wholesalers from other cities like Makassar, Padang, Medan and Jayapura.

Of course, products with fake brands are also available, with various rankings of “quality”.

Many Indonesians love to go to traditional markets like Tanah Abang because they like to bargain. They love discounted prices although, in reality, it does not always mean real price reductions. Traders raise their prices and then claim they are selling at “much discounted prices”.

“You must never feel ashamed to bargain up to 50 percent,” said Antonie Manroe, 28, a shop attendant on the ground floor of the Blok A market. His shop sells jeans and pants for men and women.

He said, “Suppose a dozen pairs of pants costs Rp 972,000, so each pair should cost Rp 81,000. But, the sellers may set the price at Rp 180,000. So, it is very reasonable to bargain up to Rp 90,000.”

Antonie also mentioned that traders prefer wholesale trading, although they also serve as retailers. According to Antonie, to get better prices, it is better to arrive with friends and shop together.

 “Buying wholesale is cheaper than buying clothes as single pieces,” Antonie said. He has worked for five years at his kiosk and said the shop nets about Rp 4 million a day and the clothes mostly come from West Java.

 Tanah Abang Market is lofty, with splendid Middle-Eastern style architecture. The 160,000 square meter market is visited by about 80,000 people a day and has 7,000 kiosks. It also has modern facilities like air conditioning, elevators and escalators. On the top floor, a mosque can accommodate up to 2,000.

People will not get hungry in the building of 19 floors as there are canteens and food courts on the 8th and 9th floors.

Hendro, 28, a vendor selling clothes imported from China, said imported products can make more money. “People like Chinese goods,” said Hendro, who said he could make up to Rp 50,000,000 (US$ 5850) per day. (aaa)

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