Bali shopping tips

• Carefully consider the pros and cons of shipping goods home before making your investment. Although reputable shipping services do exist, duties and taxes along with lengthy delays can make the whole exercise more trouble than it’s worth. Then there’s the possibility of your beloved purchases not clearing customs on the other side.
• Check your home country’s customs and import regulations before making any big purchases. Even items as seemingly innocent as cosmetics and ceramics fall onto contraband lists, as do animal products including furs.
• Remember that bartering is not accepted everywhere, particularly not in malls and boutiques. Politely ask, and if it is acceptable, stay jovial while trying to score a great deal – no one likes a scrooge with a bad attitude.
• Get your shopping done in the morning or late afternoon. Trying on clothes after battling the peak of the Bali sun is no fun.
• If you’re getting items made to order, allow plenty of time for a few rounds of alterations and only pay a small initial deposit until you are completely happy with the result.
• Much of the apparel made in Bali cannot be machine-washed. Read the label carefully, and if there’s no label, don’t risk it. Even machine-washable items should be washed separately the first few times.

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