While Indonesia has many tourist attractions, foods to eat and things you can do to pamper yourself, shopping is also one of the options many travelers enjoy in Indonesia.
Especially in Jakarta, home to over 170 malls offering cheap yet beautiful Indonesian handicrafts to luxury brands. Shopping has been one of the favorite activities for foreign tourists. Unfortunately, sometimes tourists are seen as “rich people” so when they shop (especially in markets like Tanah Abang or ITC), the shopkeeper will quote high prices to them.
That is why if you are not too familiar with Bahasa Indonesia, you may need to know these basic words and phrases for shopping in Indonesia:
| Words or Phrases (in Bahasa Indonesia) | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Berapa harganya? | What does it cost/how much is this? |
| Cuma lihat-lihat | Just browsing around |
| Bisa lihat yang ini? | Can I take a look at this? |
| Saya mau coba yang ini | I want to try this one |
| Ada ukuran L? | Do you have L size? |
| Terlalu mahal | Too expensive |
| Boleh kurang? | Can you make it cheaper? |
| Boleh ditawar? | Can I make a bargain? |
| Berapa harga pasnya? | What is your fixed price? |
| Maaf, di mana bagian baju pria? | Excuse me, where is the men’s clothes section? |
| Di mana saya bisa tukar uang? | Where can I change my money? |
| Saya perlu tukar uang | I need to change my money |
| Saya perlu uang kecil | I need some small change |
| Di mana kasir? | Where is the cashier? |
| Bisa pakai kartu kredit? | Do you accept credit card? |
| Terima Visa/Amex? | Do you take Visa/Amex? |
| Apa bisa dipaketkan ke luar negeri? | Can you ship these abroad? |
| Kalau saya ambil banyak, bisa lebih murah? | If I buy in bulk, can I get lower price? |
| Bahannya bagus tidak? | Is the material good? |
| Minta notanya ya. | Can I have the bill? |
| Kok mahal? | Why is it too expensive? |
| Saya butuh… | I need… |
If you go shopping in a market, bazaar, or ITC, don’t forget to haggle to get the lowest price possible. Some stores may sell their goods at higher prices but actually you can get it at way lower price. Happy shopping!
So, what is your favorite place to shop in Indonesia???
