Is there K-Mart or Wal-Mart like stores in Singapore?

[sundaymorningstaple]

I'm still riding my old Iron Horse Mountain Bike that I bought from them on my 50th Birthday. (15 years ago!)

[Brah]

To be fair, Carrefour was here a lot longer that that, and the reason they closed was more due to the global health of the company than to local reasons.

I would bet that if we got a Target, Tasco, K-Mart, Costco, or WalMart here now, that it/they would do really well.

There was a K-Mart in Singapore years ago, but it only lasted around 3 or 4 years then folded up, much like Carrefour.

[Herman S]

I second Mustafa, you'll be able to find a wide assortment of non-food household items there. They've almost everything there, at reasonable prices too.

The two mentioned above, but be prepared for lower than K-Mart/Target/Walmart quality and not as good of prices.

You're not too far from Mustafa, that might be a better bet. Try to avoid weekends though.

[scarbowl]

There's a connection between the Walmart/Costco mentality and the crappy processed food we get in the States. Thankfully, Singapore has little of either.

There ARE places to buy your stuff including Mustafas. Might not be so pleasant to shop in but it is unique and quirky instead of the same/same that is so common "back home."

Sorry for your trouble but give thanks we don't have those giant US box stores here.

What kind of nonsense is this? Supply chain logistics are so much better in the USA that food, alcohol, beverage, and almost all retails costs are far lower than Singapore.

I appreciate the reasons for the Singapore gahmen keeping the small shop keeper model in place by blocking the big box stores... mom and pop stores tighten up when times get bad, but stay open, whereas big box stores lay off people.

But the fact is, the US has a far larger variety of anything you can name, of very high quality, and at a cost significantly less than Singapore. Take Spec's Liquor, as but one example... at least 50 different scotches in one place... at the best price... a deli section with hundreds of kinds of cheeses. meats, at the best price... and I find this in Singapore... where?

Singapore consumers would be well served if big box competition were introduced... but the small shop owner will continue to be protected.

And, really, how did this benefit Americans? More imported crap that we ran up huge debt to acquire, have to rent U-store-it warehouses to hold it all, and made us obese. I don't see that in Singapore. You think there's no connection?

[Brah]

What exactly is yer beef?

I'm not obese, no one in my family is obese, and they're not storing stuff in warehouses. However they benefit from the choice of low prices and wider ranges of products from the occasional trip to a hypermart, as I would like to, were they made available here.

There's always the option for those in the States to buy the same things at higher retail prices, but why, given the choice? At least in other countries, Japan and Thailand included, there is that choice. Currently, we in Singapore don't have that choice.

I would make a quarterly trip to the Makuhari Costco for some bulk items and things not sold in Japanese stores, and found that to be quite convenient and saved money.

Methinks you are not American as you purport, based on the tired stereotypes you are falling back on to support a bizarre argument.

Any debt people incurred was more likely on housing, not from bulk items from hypermarts.

And, really, how did this benefit Americans? More imported crap that we ran up huge debt to acquire, have to rent U-store-it warehouses to hold it all, and made us obese. I don't see that in Singapore. You think there's no connection?

[snowqueen]

Time to crack open the popcorn and watch the show

By the way, I'm British and I like big box stores. I'm also not obese or in debt. I like to be able to have more choice and compare prices than have 2 options of expensive and slightly less expensive but poor quality.

Tescos in my heaven whenever I pop home to the UK and I know a lot of my friends feel the same way. I guess you are not the one who does the weekly shopping or needs to watch the pennies. Lucky scarbowl.

[Mi Amigo]

Funnily enough I was just about to mention Tesco - we also go there to get our 'fix' of a proper supermarket when we got to the UK. Nice big shopping trollies ('carts' to our American friends) - usually with four working wheels, nice wide aisles and super-efficient check-outs. It may be a ruthless temple of mammon but they know how to do things properly; I wish they would move into Singapore. BTW, has anyone tried any of their stores in Malaysia ?

The recently upgraded Fairprice Finest supermarkets are definitely an improvement and I never rated Carrefour very highly here (dirty, broken down and with useless staff in my experience - good riddence I say). Again they have excellent stores in Europe though. Mustafa is a great cultural experience the first few times but nowadays I just find it incredibly tedious. Giant is somewhat irrititating too but does have some good points.

[the lynx]

Funnily enough I was just about to mention Tesco - we also go there to get our 'fix' of a proper supermarket when we got to the UK. Nice big shopping trollies ('carts' to our American friends), wide aisles and super-efficient check-outs. It may be a ruthless temple of mammon but they know how to do things properly; I wish they would move into Singapore. BTW, has anyone tried any of their stores in Malaysia ?

That would be me. What would you like to know about Tescos in Malaysia?

Note: Tescos in UK are way way way better than the ones in Malaysia. And we have different types of Tescos in Malaysia such as Tesco and Tesco Value (someone compared it to Costco but I personally have never been to one).

The recently upgraded Fairprice Finest supermarkets are definitely an improvement and I never rated Carrefour very highly here (dirty, broken down and with useless staff in my experience - good riddence I say). Again they have excellent stores in Europe though. Mustafa is a great cultural experience the first few times but nowadays I just find it incredibly tedious. Giant is somewhat irrititating too but does have some good points.

[Mi Amigo]

That would be me. What would you like to know about Tescos in Malaysia?

Note: Tescos in UK are way way way better than the ones in Malaysia. And we have different types of Tescos in Malaysia such as Tesco and Tesco Value (someone compared it to Costco but I personally have never been to one).

That's a pity. I'm wondering if there are some fundamental reasons (regulations, working practices, culture, etc.) why companies like Tesco and Carrefour can't achieve their usual high standards (and profitability) in Asia. Perhaps the expectations of the local populations are such that they can 'get away' with what would normally be considered sub-standard stores here. Sometimes, anyway.

[Brah]

I always thought (assumed really) that Costco and Tesco were on par with each other.

However the only Costco I've been to was in Japan and the only Tescos I've been to were in Phuket and Koh Samui, so that may not be a representative sampling.

[Strong Eagle]

There's a connection between the Walmart/Costco mentality and the crappy processed food we get in the States. Thankfully, Singapore has little of either.

There ARE places to buy your stuff including Mustafas. Might not be so pleasant to shop in but it is unique and quirky instead of the same/same that is so common "back home."

Sorry for your trouble but give thanks we don't have those giant US box stores here.

What kind of nonsense is this? Supply chain logistics are so much better in the USA that food, alcohol, beverage, and almost all retails costs are far lower than Singapore.

I appreciate the reasons for the Singapore gahmen keeping the small shop keeper model in place by blocking the big box stores... mom and pop stores tighten up when times get bad, but stay open, whereas big box stores lay off people.

But the fact is, the US has a far larger variety of anything you can name, of very high quality, and at a cost significantly less than Singapore. Take Spec's Liquor, as but one example... at least 50 different scotches in one place... at the best price... a deli section with hundreds of kinds of cheeses. meats, at the best price... and I find this in Singapore... where?

Singapore consumers would be well served if big box competition were introduced... but the small shop owner will continue to be protected.

And, really, how did this benefit Americans? More imported crap that we ran up huge debt to acquire, have to rent U-store-it warehouses to hold it all, and made us obese. I don't see that in Singapore. You think there's no connection?

Again, what kind of nonsense is this? Low prices. Great variety. All due to the fact that supply chain logistics work far better in the US than in Singapore. How come it is that I can but a China made product in the USA for less money than I can buy it in Singapore? Virtually anything. Why do Japanese electronics cost more in Singapore than in the USA.

You are seriously missing the point. I don't "run up debt" to acquire. If you think that high prices somehow keep people from "demon rum" you are seriously mistaken.

Singapore could help a lot of people with lower prices. Simple as that.

[the lynx]

I always thought (assumed really) that Costco and Tesco were on par with each other.

However the only Costco I've been to was in Japan and the only Tescos I've been to were in Phuket and Koh Samui, so that may not be a representative sampling.

As I have never been to any Costco, nor any Tesco outside of Malaysia, the easiest way for me to describe a Malaysian Tesco is to compare it with IMM's Giant at 2 notches lower.

That's Tesco in Malaysia for you.

[zzm9980]

I always thought (assumed really) that Costco and Tesco were on par with each other.

However the only Costco I've been to was in Japan and the only Tescos I've been to were in Phuket and Koh Samui, so that may not be a representative sampling.

As I have never been to any Costco, nor any Tesco outside of Malaysia, the easiest way for me to describe a Malaysian Tesco is to compare it with IMM's Giant at 2 notches lower.

That's Tesco in Malaysia for you.

It's lower than Giant?

See CostCo is more like a big warehouse, and actually has high quality stuff. It's just that they only sell in bulk, and the selection will vary. For example if the average US Grocery store has 100 different varieties of cereal on average, Costco will only have 30, all top non-generic brands, but you'll need to buy it in these giant boxes 50% larger than the normal size. And sometimes bundled into a two-pack. Like Mayonaise? Same thing, you'll only have 2 or 3 brands, not 10, to choose from, and you're getting 3 liters of it. Fresh organic blueberries? Less than half the price of anywhere else, but you're buying 10 kilo.

Things like electronics and TVs are usually good brands, the second most recent model. Samsung's highest quality 60" LED, but this one only has 4 HDMI, not 5 HDMI ports because it's the one from early 2012.


Target or Walmart are laid out exactly like a Giant, but a few notches up in quality. On 1-10, if 10 is best possible quality and 1 is complete knock-off crap that will fall apart in a few months, I'd mark Giant a 3, Walmart a 4.5, and Target a 6 or 7.

[the lynx]

It's lower than Giant?

See CostCo is more like a big warehouse, and actually has high quality stuff. It's just that they only sell in bulk, and the selection will vary. For example if the average US Grocery store has 100 different varieties of cereal on average, Costco will only have 30, all top non-generic brands, but you'll need to buy it in these giant boxes 50% larger than the normal size. And sometimes bundled into a two-pack. Like Mayonaise? Same thing, you'll only have 2 or 3 brands, not 10, to choose from, and you're getting 3 liters of it. Fresh organic blueberries? Less than half the price of anywhere else, but you're buying 10 kilo.

Things like electronics and TVs are usually good brands, the second most recent model. Samsung's highest quality 60" LED, but this one only has 4 HDMI, not 5 HDMI ports because it's the one from early 2012.


Target or Walmart are laid out exactly like a Giant, but a few notches up in quality. On 1-10, if 10 is best possible quality and 1 is complete knock-off crap that will fall apart in a few months, I'd mark Giant a 3, Walmart a 4.5, and Target a 6 or 7.

Now that you have compared Giant, Giants in Malaysia are just as bad as the cheaper Tesco Extras in Malaysia (with regular Tescos being slightly better than both). And we have learned from anecdotal experiences NOT to buy electronics from there.

Jusco is the best among them. So if I were to rank (personal preference, really):

Jusco > Tesco > (Tesco Extra = Giant)

I thought you do your grocery shopping regularly in Tescos/Juscos in JB? You should be able to notice that.

[zzm9980]

No, I haven't gone to any of those places. I've been to Tebrau City a few times though. Did do some grocery shopping in the store inside there. I forgot it's name, but it wasn't terrible. Better than Giant (SG) I thought.