Warehouse Sales

The Early Bird Catches The Worm

Yesterday, I read an advertisement about a certain product on warehouse sales for today.

Time 10 am -5pm.

I must remember to go.

So to make sure I go, I casually invited Allie, the house help to go along with me. Maybe I could get her an early Christmas gift. She was to remind me about the appointment.

Saturday morning today saw both of us at the wet market at an unusually late hour...so that we could detour after marketing to the place at 10am. On the way there my watch told me it was 9.50am. I wondered if it would be open by then to the public. Will we be too early?

I was shortsighted and forgetful. I forgot about the kiasuism spirit among the locals. If I think I was early, I was sorely mistaken.

The first problem that greeted us was the parking woe. No lot to be seen anywhere close to the warehouse. Never mind, it should not dampen our spirit. Park further away; after all it means working out the extras in my so uncomplimentary figure.

So, we found one about 150m away. Not too far.

At 9.55am there was no parking lot in the vicinity to be seen.

We were greeted with the next daunting challenge. The crowd was already thick and to get in between to look at the product was quite a task.

Young and old...everyone was looking for a good pair of shoes. Talk about being early. We were already too late.

Many pairs we saw but none of our tastes had our sizes...

Why do you put them up if the sizes are already gone? Wasn't today the first day; the first hour? How come there is no more size? "Oh" ...the sales girl said ; "warehouse sales hai com yoong kei lor, mou sizezy liow...
She reiterated that warehouse sales is like that; no more sizes...

I wondered if it was an inside job; that the sales people themselves have already picked and chosen for themselves, friends and relatives. The poor public is subjected to left overs. I am glad I did not have to travel far for this gimmick.




Then I noticed this very bad habit. Buyers picking all sorts of designs and sizes and then to choose them slowly at a corner. I learnt the trick. Go early, ask for all sorts of possible designs, stack them up at a corner, then throw away ones you have no interest. No wonder, there was none left for genuine buyers.

Notice that she is a lone buyer but look at the number of boxes she has. Hmm...how to fight la. Allie said , 'Maam, let's go home. Don't want to waste time here. You can also get at the malls.' Clever Allie.

To go out of the warehouse empty handed was not too good, so I thought. After all, we were already here. Must get something. Yes... the bovril is good product. ! Dad loves to spread it over bread. But be careful. Look at the due date. It's very close to expiry date...only a few months more. Okay la , get a small bottle and eat everyday. Then we bought some sphagetti noodles, sugarless jam, van houten chocolate for Sara when she comes home to bake next week, and some items here and there. All for the sake of spending money!

Be wise, avoid warehouse sales if you really have nothing to buy. You will end up buying things not really needed and then to stack them at home to be thrown away when they expire...

Hei, I am reading the papers now. It tells me there are warehouse sales all over town...in time for Christmas! Shall I go? Shall I go?



Once bitten, twice shy.

I will buy products at my leisure time.

No warehouse sales, please.