9 reasons why you’ve stopped shopping in Orchard Road

Last Updated on 2016-05-19 , 1:53 pm

Orchard used to be the go-to place for Singaporeans looking to spend their money on retail therapy, but nowadays, how many of us actually shops at Orchard Road? Sure we window shop, but do we actually buy clothes there?

We head there just for the sake of meeting up with friends and more often than not, talk more than shop. At the end of the day, do we head home carrying bags of new clothes? Or do we use the stores as a place to try out new trends before going home and searching for cheaper alternatives at online websites such as Taobao?

Well, below are 10 reasons why we’ve stopped shopping in Orchard Road.

The price
Well, duh. The price of a button down shirt can cost as much as $40 while I can find the exact same one online for about $12. There’s no reason why I should spend more just for the brand name when the quality and cutting are similar.

Online Websites
As mentioned multiple times earlier, online websites are starting to takeover offline ones. Due to cheaper rates and similar quality of merchandise, many users switched to these sites when doing their shopping. The only downside is probably the waiting time for your shipment to arrive and a risk of getting the wrong size.

Other neighbourhood malls like JEM and Tampines
And if we really wanted to go shopping, most of us would probably head to other malls that have the same shops as those in Orchard. There is no reason why you should travel to town if you’re staying in the west. Jurong East is the new “town”, remember?

Less crowded
That said, it’s less crowded too. We all know the the horror of dealing with the crowds at Orchard Road, especially on weekends. You’re constantly trampling on the toes of others or getting trampled on, and shopping suddenly became 100 times harder. At the end of the day, you probably went home with no purchases.

Better hang out places in Singapore
After shopping, you’re bound to want to grab some food and in Orchard, the food are either too expensive or the outlets are packed full with people. Including fast food restaurants.

Parking is ridiculous
The fee for parking in Orchard can break your bank easily. Not to mention the ERP charges for coming in and the perpetual jams all around town area during peak period.

Trying to get a cab is insane
The queue at the taxi stand is never-ending. Unlike suburban malls where you can get a cab easily, flagging down a cab at Orchard Road is mission impossible. You’ll end up taking the MRT, or booking one which is more expensive. Not. Worth. It.

It’s way too big
You’ll be lost easily if you’re not familiar with the place, and the lac of traffic junctions makes it difficult for you to get to where you want to be. Even if the building you want to get to is just directly opposite, you’ll have to walk ahead till you either reach a traffic junction (finally!) or underground pass to make your way across the road. The roads at Orchard are always busy, so please don’t try to jaywalk.

It’s way too overrated
It’s for tourists, who have more purchasing power than us. You’ll come to realize that while Orchard Road is awesome for them, it’s not the same for us. Personally, I meet up with friends at Orchard Road because it’s central, and after a while, you’ll realize that there’s really nothing special about the place. At all.

Top Image: Simon Poon / Shutterstock.com