Bali is a great place to shop. We call ourselves "shopping professionals" because when we hit the island it is just non-stop. The variety and quality of goods on sale has improved remarkably over the years. Many shops which started out as nothing more than a shed have now modernized. The challenge for the Balinese retailer is to keep prices down. Countries like Singapore which used to be once competitive now have prices that are on a par with Australia.

Only a few shops have "fixed prices". You need to be able to bargain. The best way to go is to reduce the original quoted price by 50% and then keep your ground. Usually as you begin to walk out of the store the retailer will say OK so you get your price. If the retailer does not say OK and is prepared to let you go then you know that you need to offer a little bit more to get what you want.

There are lots and lots of shops and they are easy to explore on foot. Make sure you check out some authentic Balinese supermarkets like Matahari as you will get a true feel for prices and products.

You need to be aware that items like pirated DVD's are of generally poor quality and may not play in your DVD when you get home. CD's may also cause you some problems.