Expats - Don't shop at Hawker Markets

[sundaymorningstaple]

Aster, ain't that the truth!

[x9200]

Isn't it a bit about the comfort of shopping without a constant need of 'knowing' and analysizng the prices? I bet majority of Western tourists have no clue what should be the right price even if it gets down to buying a watermelon.

[Splatted]

Isn't it a bit about the comfort of shopping without a constant need of 'knowing' and analysizng the prices? I bet majority of Western tourists have no clue what should be the right price even if it gets down to buying a watermelon.

whether watermelon or tailor-made trousers.. it always pays to laugh off the first price quoted.

[BigSis]

Isn't it a bit about the comfort of shopping without a constant need of 'knowing' and analysizng the prices?

it certainly is and TBH I've got better things to do with my time than spend 5 minutes haggling over a bloody melon.

[taxico]

i'm sorry to hear about your experience...

my wife's east asian (not china). she has lived here for a good many years and can switch to a local'esque accent when ordering food, especially when using short singlish words.

she sometimes experiences the same "discrimination" when buying from various non-chinese (?) stores, especially when the salesperson is not singaporean and/or chinese.

so what you experienced is NOT unique to non-asians. and it doesn't only happen in singapore.

eg, she once bought indian food from a stall in little india - $15 for takeaway rice and 1 serving of fish and veggies. she scoffed and left in a huff to the stall next door.

vote with your wallet and know that supporting small business is not the same as getting ripped off.