Where moths don't destroy and thieves don't bother

My phone's screen went blank again. This time, it is really dead. Brain dead. Microchip dead. LCD dead. Whatever you call it. Cannot be resuscitated anymore.

I went to Digital Mall and got this.

Nokia 1200.

How did I arrive at making this purchase?

Very simple.

Wear shorts, slippers and and a t-shirt. Enter the mall. Locate handphone shop. Ask, "How much is your cheapest Nokia handphone?" Repeat question at every shop. Skin must be thick, clothes must be old.

Seems that when it comes to shopping, my theory is correct. The nearer the shop is to the ground floor, the more expensive it is.

It's the mall's strategy. Shops on lower floors have more customer traffic. You want more customer traffic? You pay higher rent. Hence, you hike up your products' prices too.

Here's the proof. The lower floors are selling the Nokia 1200 at RM150. The highest floor with handphones sells it at RM129.

Here's a tip. If you want a price slash, say you're paying by cash. Then, ask how much discount they can give. It works most of the time.

For the less informed on why paying by cash is sometimes more advantageous...

If you pay my credit card, three parties are involved in the transaction: You, the shop owner, and the credit card company. If the product costs RM100, the shop owner must pay the credit card company a small percentage from that RM100. That's how the credit card company gets its cut.

It's no gain for the shop owner, no gain for you. It's all good for the credit card company.

If you pay by cash, only two parties are involved in the transaction: The shop owner and you. The shop owner may be willing to settle for less if he deals directly with you. The "discount" he gives to you is actually the credit card company's cut. Instead of giving the small percentage from RM100 to the credit card company (if you pay by credit card), he marks down the price for you.

It's still no gain for the shop owner. But it's gain for you! And the shop owner still wants to make the sale anyway.

I got the phone and a hard handphone cover for RM130.

So, be wise. Jadilah pengguna yang kiam siap. I mean, bijak.

Or maybe it's just a Penang kia syndrome :)