I usually prefer Saturday afternoon for our occasional shopping trips to Supermarkets because at this hour of the day there are usually not too many shoppers and one can move freely through the narrow alleys and shop peacefully, but peace was the least I was to get while shopping yesterday.

I entered the superstore, rolled out a shopping cart and took out the shopping list which we had carefully decided upon at home so to make the most out of our limited financial resources, and I am supposed to strictly follow it.

I pushed my cart towards insecticides, the first item on my list and as soon as I added an aerosol car of a famous insect killer a lady approached me and introduced me to another one of the more powerful but similar product from the same company. I was glad to be informed of a better choice and I opt for the newer and better type of their product But when I approached the other shelve for some soap,  another lady quickly started convincing me to buy one of her companies brand instead. I politely refused, but I only when I had moved to the very next shelve for a bottle of shampoo there was another convincing me to buy a shampoo of her choice. By now I was totally annoyed but I knew she was just doing her job, so I kept my cool and politely told her that I wouldn’t change my mind.

After making a few more stops for coffee, tea, pet food and avoiding another attempt to influence my choice of brand at the dairy section finally I reached the section for edible oil where again a representative for a yet another famous brand was waiting to haunt me, at first she tried convincing me to buy a brand of her choice just this once but when I told her I wouldn’t go for anything but the imported one she asked me why. At this point I was totally in a mood to place an argument, I told her it was the quality and the oil of their brand turns to gel after expiring or exposing to heat, I also told her other reasons, the smell, viscosity, and taste which gives me good reasons not to trust this local brand but when she still wanted me to try a smaller pack of their product I had to tell her sorry in a bit stern tone. 

By the time I reached the checkout counter, I was tired not of all the shopping but of all the annoyance, confusion and arguing for the choices on brands I made.  These companies have literally started pushing their products down our throats and they may not know it but it is really nerve wrecking to argue for every choice we make on the local brands. Being responsible citizens and the targeted consumer it is our responsibility and right to lodge our complaints and voice our concerns to the  respective companies not against those poor marketing representatives the brand conveniently puts on the spot but against such marketing campaigns, when they get too close for comfort.

Since the last two years, authors at Karachi Meroblog have sporadically announced a number of coffee shop openings in the city. Most of these coffee shops are concentrated in Zamzama, but some like Roasters and Kahva are expanding into areas like Tariq Road too.

At the pace the gourmet coffee houses are springing up, one is forced to wonder what market the premium priced coffee providers are catering to, and if the market isn’t already saturated. A quick survey around Zamzama, however, brings a unique insight into the coffee house industry in Karachi.

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There are times when you get frustrated with the system. Things are not delivered in time, post in slow, traffic sucks and consumer services too. It’s too hot and weather is killing you. You’ve a bad headache and do not want to go to office. If you’ve reached it, you want to take an early off. Problems, frustration, part and parcel of a karachiite’s life.

Clearly, we do get frustrated over a lot of factors happening around us. However, seldom one gets saved from a looming issue. This account is of such an incident.

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According to this news item published in a reputed paper, the City Governement has signed a deal for a 47 storey building adjacent to Civic Centre.

The building complex will host 3 shopping malls, a 240 room five star hotel, a 12000-seat call centre, parking for over 2000 cars and will provide employment opportunities to over 50,000 people.

Seriously, great going if this happens, but a 5 star hotel near civic centre?? Do we not have enough “high security” zones thanks to these hotels and consulates?

Consumer Link, a global consumer opinion research firm, has launched itself in Pakistan and is currently recruiting a research panel from all segments of society.

Consumer Link will soon commence conducting surveys that and will carry the users’ opinion to the decision makers of all brands.

To make things a bit more interesting, Consumer Link Pakistan will be conducting prize draws and will be distributing prizes amongst participants of every survey.

From environmental concerns issues pertaining to companies to other societal issues that you feel a brand can help contribute to, Consumer Link is the voice of the consumer.

Those interested in joining the Consumer Link research panel, visit here.

The recent cold spell has brought with it these colorful heaps of used clothing which are making their appearance felt at the make-shift weekly bazaars around the city as in efficient and inexpensive winter clothing alternative for the poor, under privileged and the struggling middle class of our society, assuring to keep them warm throughout the winters without putting much strain on their already warned out pockets.

With the 2nd outlet of Makro opened in city-center, the store attracts more than a handful of shoppers eager to experience the convenience and price advantage or shopping at a hyper-market.

My review is based on a personal experience of 2 visits, some shopping, and comparison with other international hyper-market chains.

While the concept of hyper-markets is relatively new in Pakistan, we have seen convenient stores like Naheed’s, Agha’s and D-Mart spread across the city, hence the shopping experience is not so new.

I had heard about Makro from friends and family, but had never visited the original SITE branch as it was too cumbersome. However, I visited the Shahra-e-Faisal branch twice in a week.
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Javeria describes how shopping in Karachi translates into lots of headaches, especially due to tardiness of shopkeepers to open in the morning, the practice by shopkeepers of cheating customers out of every penny they can and the lack of prayer places for women which makes offering prayers almost impossible.
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The Mall That Nearly Every Woman in Karachi Loves, originally uploaded at Flickr by Zainub.

Guess away…

March this year when Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz performed the ground breaking ceremony for Sofitel Hotel Plaza, yet another addition in this establishment’s growing facade of so-called “developmental projects”, I wasn’t the least of a pleased spectator. Mideast Hospital, at whose site the plaza would be constructed, was a corner stone of some of my most cherished childhood memories. Hospitals aren’t exactly meant to be places children are fond of, but for a multitude of reasons, Mideast was something different. I was born at JPMC but my family pediatrician practiced there, and trips to his clinic, if not always specifically anticipated or welcomed, were at least worthwhile; an alleviator of pain I saw him as, and the big aquarium in his office, a cause of much, much fascination.
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