One twenty? No, one 'twenty'

                                                      

That's how you bargain at Chinatown and Downtown in Kuala Lumpur. The term 'Downtown' might be misleading, it usually refers to the posh areas in top cities. However the 'Downtown' here as it is referred to by locals, offers roadside shopping.
There are three rules to be followed while shopping in these places.
1 .Bargain
2. Bargain more
3. Bargain even more.
Both markets have almost every possible purchasable item known. They draw their own crowd. Shops aren't usually exclusive for one item. There are hundreds of competitors in the same market. Don't write them off, these people are professional in their own way, they are efficient entrepreneurs. They know what works in their business. For instance, just as it began to pour, as I started running to my car, calling out to me was a shopkeeper, "Umbrella for 20 MR. Bargain-able!", the interesting fact being the shopkeeper saying that he is open to a bargain even before the customer reacts.

Chinatown is the Malaysian home for 'Made in China' goods. One doesn't need an explanation for what holds in store there. It is the workplace of hundreds of vendors (who smoke as they work). "Now beware of the sellers here" a local friend of mine had warned. The sellers take to the knife if a purchase is not made after a long bargain!

Downtown offers a comparable experience in a slightly different way. It is a good example of the night life prevailing there. Shops open around 8 in the night and go on till 3 or 4 the next morning depending on the crowd. Couples walk in hand in hand at midnight.  The vendors here mostly work part time. Shops are set up in identical tents but they are distinct on the inside. These vendors are comparitively less aggressive, they don't hide knives.

"Each purchase is an act of mutual understanding between the customer and the vendor. The vendor clearly knows that he over-quotes his item, so does the customer realise that. The initial rates are similar to the ones quoted by Tamil Nadu auto-men to foreign tourists. Exorbitant."

In Chinatown, calculators break the language barrier. Conversations with vendors bear only numbers. A calculator can help accomplish that. So this is how you go, you first point at the desired item. The vendor types in a number (his initial quote in Ringgits) on the calculator and hovers his hand over the 'minus symbol' suggesting a prospective bargain, a definite bargain. You press the minus symbol and make the desired reduction in rate. If my observation is anything to go by, typical bargains end somewhere lesser than midway between the customer and the vendor, the consumer being on the left. This is how an unsuccessful bargain went,
"Black bag" <pointing at it>
"That will be 120MR madam." <'madam' being my mother>
"No, one 'twenty'"
"No madam" <nods no and performs a calculation on the calculator 120-35=85> .
<End of conversation>

At the Downtown, bargaining is not an easy task. The old lady at the 'bag store' was headstrong about the 'green bag' costing 30 MR. There was no room for bargain because the bag was 'water proof and made of 100% leather'. She was generous enough to reduce 5MR each for the other bags we purchased.
It is just the place for ladies crazy about shopping. The shops offer highly fashionable stuff in 'striking colours' as preferred by the locals there.
There are the restaurants that stay open till 3am. There are no competitors here, each restaurant offers a specific food item. There is no menu card, the only item available is clearly identifiable. It is hard for a vegetarian to get stuff to eat in there. He/She could get a cup of  'cut guava' for 2MR, and get more to make a meal. Then there are these shops that sell electronic goods. These goods are packed to perfection, replicating the original packaging. 'Beats Audio' for 15MR! No wonder most music-listeners in the city sport one of them.

Chinatown is the more popular of the two, drawing more foreign customers. Downtown is more restricted to the locals. Nevertheless both these places offer distinct yet enjoyable shopping experiences! So don't forget the extra bag when you plan a trip to KL, for it is sure to become full. Happy shopping!

The crowded streets in Chinatown

The tents in Downtown, closed in the day