Thread: buying household appliances

Dasha

I was at Makro yesterday and they do have some plasma TVs but they are brands I've never heard of. I would be inclined to buy a known brand. As for getting one to Gili Meno, that's not easy. I guess you could catch the government ferry from Padangbai to Lombok, then a bemo or taxi up to Senggigi. Are there "water taxis" from there to Meno? (I'm not sure. I know there are from Gili Trawangan to Meno.)

I'm also not sure these days if The Bounty still sails directly to the west coast of Meno. That would probably be the most direct way (and much faster). Also more expensive.

And yes, Makro is near the Serangan Island turn-off.

Dug

There are many appliance and white goods shops in Denpasar. One that I have used is called PT Sakura. It's located in a little side "street" off Jalan Diponegoro...opposite from an Indovision shop. The "street" is across from the Ramayana Mall - there's a police box on the "corner".

You can buy imported wines and spirits at PT Surya - they are a major supplier and their prices are about as cheap as you can get (legally). My last bottle of John Jameson Irish Whiskey cost Rp142,000, for example. It's a little bit tricky to find as they don't have a sign out the front. It's about 100-150 metres past the entrance to Makro and on the same side, heading towards the airport/Kuta on the By-Pass Road. A two storey building with three or four non-descript "shops" at street level that don't appear to sell anything! You go into the one on the far right and then upstairs where you choose what you want and pay. You then have to go down again and out the back where the actual warehouse is and collect your purchases. If you find the place and think you get get cheaper prices elsewhere, I'd love to know.
:)

Gee Phil, I think you guys in “The South” are overpaying for your labeled brands of spirits, and this is not to comment too much on all the crazy “cloak and dagger” means you describe to achieve a successful outcome.

Hell, all I do is pick up the phone, dial six numbers, and...presto...it is in my house within ten minutes....AND at a great price. The last bottle of Jameson’s I ordered and had delivered (at my house) was 135k Rp. That was last month.

Gee Phil, maybe I missed a great “Bali experience” by not driving myself all the way down to Sanur, only to pay more, but somehow, I am very happy I didn’t have to!

Why complicate that which can be so simple?

Thank you for the tips Sanurian - I guess we will probably have the TV freighted to Lombok then onto Gili Meno with all the other gear my dear wife will have purchased.

We are just a little unsure on how pricing for whitegoods / electricals and other western appliances will compare to the depatment stores in Mataram.

Do you think I will have much issue bringing my bass guitars and amps over from Australia?

The instruments and my computers are pretty much all I am bringing to Indo - we intend to fit the new vila out with items purchased in Bali Lombok

Cheers

Hi Dasha

We are just a little unsure on how pricing for whitegoods / electricals and other western appliances will compare to the depatment stores in Mataram.

Maybe you should check out the stores in Mataram, pick a few models of whatever you want and telephone some places in Denpasar and compare prices. Yeah, I know..can be a right pain. And don't forget that people giving price quotes by phone can tell you anything silly just to get you into their shops.

As for:

...Do you think I will have much issue bringing my bass guitars and amps over from Australia?...

There's a very big chance that you'll have an unpleasant day dealing with Indonesian customs. I wouldn't bother about importing heavy guitar amplifiers unless yours are particularly special and unavailable here. The guitars should be OK (you'll still have to grease some palms but it shouldn't cost too much).

A similar deal with computers. If it were me, I'd rip the hard-drives out and send them separately. Any fancy sound/video cards as well. Then build a new computer when you're here.

I imported computers, guitars, synthesisers, two cross bikes and all kinds of other stuff years ago to Denpasar. Guess what customs jumped on? Some VHS tapes (remember those) of childrens' programmes for my young son. There were maybe 20/30 of them and customs said they had to be viewed by government censorship officials. I'd already stood around for hours watching customs go through every box that was there and quite frankly, told them to just F-off. There was no way I was going to sit and watch countless episodes of Sesame Street/Play School, and all the rest. I told them I didn't want them anymore and they could have them. Even my Balinese father-in-law was getting pissed-off. In the end, they "passed" everything. That took the best part of a day! So, good luck. (Maybe things are better these days...I'm not sure.)

Look upon it as an unsolicited "adventure", keep smiling, have lots of cigarettes to hand out to everybody and try not to freak out (get angry). (Unless it's gets way too much for you and you feel you can't cope with it any more...it's a game, after all...they'll probably try to wear you down...the "secret" is when to say the game is over, that you really have had enough...timing can be everything.) And you'll be OK, at the end.

I look forward to hearing how you go and which scenario you eventually choose.

:lol:

Roy writes:

...Gee Phil, I think you guys in “The South” are overpaying for your labeled brands of spirits, and this is not to comment too much on all the crazy “cloak and dagger” means you describe to achieve a successful outcome...

There's no "cloak and dagger" stuff at all. PT Surya is a legal wine and spirit supplier (it makes a show of paying government taxes). It's also an Indonesian one and supplies many bars and restaurants in "The South". They probably make enough money without having to advertise. I am stuffed if I know which architect designed the building. The company probably just moved in and had to deal with the physical layout. (It does do deliveries but I'm not sure of the minimum order.)

...Hell, all I do is pick up the phone, dial six numbers, and...presto...it is in my house within ten minutes....AND at a great price. The last bottle of Jameson’s I ordered and had delivered (at my house) was 135k Rp. That was last month...

I can and do that, too, sometimes. I call those guys "Booze Jockeys", maybe "Booze Cowboys" is better. For sure, they're not "legal", but when you want something quick, you turn a blind eye to the so-called laws of the country. My cheapest JJ, in the last month, was Rp120,000 (illegal, but still tasted good). It's all got to do with local corruption, right?

Should any of us worry about what's "legal" or not in this country? Some, definitely, for sure. Not everybody wants to take advantage of the loopholes and hope to get away with it forever.
8)

Sanurian

Yes comparing prices from Mataram to Denpasar for appliances is a good option. Are there Indonesian chain stores like “Retravision” “Harvey Norman” and the like in Indo – is that Makro?

With a 90 day stay in Trawangan whilst a villa is constructed, I guess this will be ample time to go shopping for fridges, washers, freezers and tellys.

I hear you about arriving and making it through with your wallet in one piece.

The wife and I have become pretty good at sharing large amounts of Coonawarra and other fine Aus’ wines, post arrival, with our Indonesian and expat friends that somehow keep turning up by the magnum on the dining table each night.

As far as trying not to freak out .. we have been fortunate enough to have a great attorney in Kuta since purchasing our property 5 years ago. I’m certain his office would take care of things if gets a little outa hand.

Cheers

Yes, Dasha... I think so...

...Are there Indonesian chain stores like “Retravision” “Harvey Norman” and the like in Indo – is that Makro?...

I don't know who runs Makro, but there are quite a few "chain stores" that as far as I can tell, come from the USA. Like ACE Hardware, Circle K and others. Around these parts, I've also seen Video Ezy places but I'm not sure if they're real ones or not. If they are, I don't know how they make money here.

There are many bill-boards for real-estate agencies that I was familiar with when I lived in Australia. I haven't seen any signs for Harvey-Norman, Bing Lee or even Dick Smith, yet. I wouldn't be surprised if they spring up soon. Maybe even Coles/Woolworths might happen.

I get this feeling every now and again that the populous side of Bali is starting to look just like what I thought I was escaping from. The price of "progress", I guess.

Happy shopping in Mataram.
:lol:

Hi Dug

The best two places I have found for a wide range of electrical appliances are Bali Electronics at the Hero centre in Denpasar and Electronic city on the top floor of the Discovery shopping centre in Tuban.

MANY TVs in the latter,

Hope this helps

Phil, as usual for you, you are getting your exercise by jumping to conclusions. My sources in Ubud are NOT these illegal “Booze Jockeys” that you describe. I guess those guys concentrate where most of Bali’s expats live...in the South. Thanks, but no thanks. :P :P :P