Indonesia: The Land Where Discounts Are King

Indonesia—a country where natural wonders abound, where history whispers from ancient temples, and where you can find some of the most exquisite food on Earth. But none of that defines us anymore. Not really. Today, what truly unites us as a nation isn’t our shared heritage or love for nasi goreng. No, it’s our shared obsession with discounts, our collective pursuit of that dopamine hit from snagging something—anything—on sale.

We’re not talking about the occasional bargain that gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. No, we’ve long since crossed that threshold. We are now residents of the Land of the Perpetual Sale, where paying full price is a cardinal sin, reserved for either the incredibly wealthy or the hopelessly na?ve. When you see someone buying something without a discount, your immediate thought is not "Oh, how nice for them," but rather "Are they okay? Should someone check on them?"

And so, we find ourselves in this peculiar situation. A nation once known for its rich traditions, reduced to chasing deals like it’s an Olympic sport. Has Indonesia screwed itself?

"Buy One, Get One Free" or How We Lost Our Collective Minds

In the not-so-distant past, Indonesians were known for their resourcefulness, their discerning eye for value, and their willingness to invest in quality. Fast forward to today, and we’ve collectively decided that the only thing worth paying for is the thrill of getting something at half the price—or better yet, for free.

Let’s be honest: "Buy One, Get One Free" is no longer just a deal. It's a lifestyle, practically a national motto at this point. Why pay for one thing when you could get two mediocre versions for the same price? Sure, that leather bag you just scored might start peeling after a month, and that blender might only blend until the warranty runs out, but who cares when you got both at a massive discount? Longevity? Quality? Ha! Those are concepts for suckers who don’t know how to sniff out a deal.

And it's not just e-commerce platforms that have pushed us over the edge. It’s the relentless onslaught of venture capitalists pouring money into startups that thrive on feeding our discount addiction. They’ve trained us, like Pavlov’s dogs, to salivate at the sight of a price slash. By now, paying full price feels as reckless as gambling your life savings on a single horse. After all, why would anyone do such a thing when they could wait for the inevitable flash sale, where the same product will be practically thrown at you for a fraction of the cost?

In our quest to out-bargain each other, we’ve traded in common sense for a cart full of too-good-to-be-true deals. We’re not just paying the price for it—oh no, we’re refusing to pay any price at all.

The Corporate Discount Arms Race: How Low Can You Go?

Let’s not place all the blame on the consumers. After all, someone has to be supplying these endless discounts, and for that, we must turn to the corporate titans. Welcome to the era of the Corporate Discount Arms Race, where businesses aren't competing to innovate, improve, or deliver quality. No, no, that’s all passé. The real challenge today is seeing how low they can go, slashing prices like a chef with a new set of knives. And rest assured, they’ve gotten very good at it.

Gone are the days when corporate boardrooms were buzzing with discussions about long-term strategy, ethical sourcing, or anything remotely related to sustainability. No, today’s executive meetings are all about finding that magic percentage that will undercut the competition, lure in deal-hungry customers, and hopefully keep the company afloat—at least until the next funding round. Innovation? That’s just another line item to be discounted.

Got a warehouse full of the latest gadgets? Knock off 50%, toss in some free shipping, and voilà—you’re suddenly a disruptor. Can’t move those luxury cars sitting in your showroom? Easy fix: drop the price by 30%, and for the first 100 buyers, throw in a free motorbike. Who could resist such generosity? Sure, you’re hemorrhaging cash and profits have become a distant memory, but at least you’ve won the Discount Olympics for another fiscal quarter. Victory, right?

But here’s the thing about racing to the bottom—it doesn’t leave much room to stand when you get there. As companies dive headfirst into the abyss of discounting, burning through VC funds like they're playing Monopoly with real money, they’re setting themselves up for an inevitable crash. When the bubble bursts—and oh, it will—what remains will be a landscape of bankrupt companies, bewildered customers, and a nation that’s forgotten what it’s like to pay a fair price for anything.

The Death of Value: Why We Can’t Recognize a Good Deal Anymore

You know, there’s something oddly tragic about our descent into discount madness. Sure, on the surface, it feels like we’re all winning, snagging deals left and right. But there’s a dark underbelly to this endless parade of markdowns: we’ve lost the ability to recognize genuine value. When everything is always on sale, nothing feels worth its actual price anymore. High-quality products at fair prices? We eye them with suspicion, as if paying full price has become some elaborate con designed to separate us from our hard-earned rupiah.

“Why isn’t this on sale?” we wonder, our brows furrowing at the thought of paying what something is actually worth. It’s like we’ve been conditioned to believe that if a price tag doesn’t have a giant red line through it, we’re getting ripped off. And who needs that kind of stress when there’s always a discount around the corner?

Even worse, we’ve reached a point where quality is an afterthought. Why buy one well-made product when you can buy two poorly-made ones for the same price? It’s the quantity-over-quality conundrum we never asked for but happily embraced. Who cares if that kitchen knife goes dull after a few weeks? It was 70% off, so we can just buy another one! It’s like we’ve collectively decided that our time and energy are less valuable than the few rupiah we saved on a subpar product.

This isn’t just a problem for consumers, though. Local artisans and manufacturers—the very backbone of Indonesia’s cultural heritage—are struggling to survive in a marketplace that values cheap knockoffs over handcrafted goods. Why support a local batik maker when you can buy a factory-made version for a fraction of the price? Why invest in a pair of locally-made shoes when mass-produced imitations are just a click away? And so, the death spiral continues, as we trade quality, sustainability, and even our own traditions for the fleeting thrill of a bargain.

Is There a Way Back? Probably Not, but Let’s Pretend There Is

Now, you might be thinking: “Surely, there’s a way out of this discount abyss! We can turn things around, educate the masses, and bring back the glorious days of value-based purchasing in Indonesia!” But let’s be real here—probably not. Once you’ve tasted the sweet, addictive nectar of a 90% off flash sale, can you ever go back to full price? It’s like asking someone to go back to instant coffee after they’ve had a taste of premium espresso. No one’s doing that.

But for the sake of optimism, let’s pretend there’s hope. Maybe we could launch a national campaign, complete with catchy slogans, celebrity endorsements, and a government mascot—perhaps a wise old batik maker reminding us all of the importance of quality over quantity. We could even teach the next generation about sustainability in schools, right alongside lessons on how to resist the allure of a flash sale. Maybe we could incentivize companies to prioritize long-term growth over short-term discount-driven chaos, convincing them that, shockingly, there’s more to business than just slashing prices.

And let’s not forget the pièce de résistance—ethical pricing standards imposed by the government. Because if there’s one thing that’s always gone over well, it’s government intervention in free markets. Who wouldn’t want to see an official mandate that says, “Thou shalt not discount thy products below a fair price”?

But let’s face it, these are all just beautiful pipe dreams. In reality, we’re more likely to see a “Buy One, Get One Free” sale on ethical standards before we see any meaningful change in this discount culture. So, the next time you’re lured into yet another flash sale, just remember—you’re not just buying a product; you’re buying into a culture. A culture where the only thing truly being discounted is our collective sense of value.

So, has Indonesia screwed itself? Absolutely. But don't fret—chances are we got a great deal on the whole process. Our beloved discount culture has seeped into every nook and cranny of our lives, from the way we shop to how companies operate. We’ve become so laser-focused on paying as little as possible that we’ve lost track of what actually matters—silly things like quality, sustainability, and maybe even the very essence of our national identity. Who needs those, right?

In the end, we’ve traded short-term savings for long-term consequences, and now we’re left standing in the bargain bin of economic reality. Is there any going back? Not likely, but hey, why would we? Once you’re hooked on those sweet, sweet discounts, there’s no return to paying full price with dignity.