Geylang bazaar goes online: 4 highlights from this Ramadan's Bazaar Kita, Lifestyle News

PUBLISHED ONApril 14, 2021 3:37 AMByJoanne Poh

The annual Geylang Serai bazaar is one of the most fun aspects of the Ramadan period in the lead up to Hari Raya Puasa.

But alas, while the light-up will offer some colour in an otherwise dark 2021, the bazaar itself has been cancelled for the second year in a row.

Taking its place is an online bazaar called Bazaar Kita. It will not be able to completely replace the festive atmosphere of the live bazaar, but it’s still better than nothing.

What is this online Ramadan bazaar?

Bazaar-Kita.sg was opened on April 9, 2021 and will run until May 12, 2021.

It is a collaborative effort between the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SMCCI) and the People’s Association’s Wisma Geylang Serai. The latter is a community and cultural centre in the Geylang Serai area that includes shops, the local community club, a child care centre, a senior care centre and arts and community facilities.

Bazaar Kita enables you to buy some of the products and food that used to be available at the Geylang Serai bazaar, so you can still enjoy some of your favourite Hari Raya goodies, buy new outfits and decorate your home.

There are more than 60 participating F&B merchants and over 30 retail merchants participating in the online bazaar, including Haig Road Putu Piring, Makan Empire and Ayam Taliwang Nasi Lemak, just to mention a few at random. There will also be some online performances and events to generate a festive mood.

Here’s what you can look forward to on Bazaar Kita.

1. Bazaar Kita on Shopee: clothes, home décor & snacks

Retail shops and some F&B businesses participating in Bazaar Kita are selling their products through Shopee. You can access the Shopee page here to browse all listings.

Here’s some of what you’ll find:

Halal food and snacks – banana fritters, sambal chili paste, rainbow sprinkle brownies, Ajwa dates, macarons, etc
Homewares – Islamic art, blue evil eye protection hangings, decorative glassware, rugs, wall mirrors, etc
Clothing and accessories – Baju kurung, handbags, costume jewellery, nail polish
Deen products – Prayer beads, books, prayer mats, Haj and Umrah kits, digital Qurans, etc

Of course, no online shopping experience would be complete without some tempting discounts and deals. Here are a few discounted items currently on offer:

Loveaisyah lace baju kedah – $67.46 (55 per cent off), down from $149.90
Kopiboy.sg white chocolate mocha – $4.50 to $6.30 (10 per cent off), down from $5 to $7
Maya Cosmetics halal nail polish – $21.60 (10 per cent off), down from $24
Annabella Pâtisserie halal limited spring edition macarons – $11.90 (50 per cent off), down from $23.80
Set of six Iqra books – $6.75 (10 per cent off), down from $7.50

Use the following coupon codes to save even more money:

BAZAAREX5 – get $5 off when you spend at least $55 (valid till May 31)
BAZAARNEW7 – for new Shopee users, get $7 off with no minimum spending requirement (valid till May 31)

2. Bazaar Kita on GrabMart: snacks, groceries & cooking essentials

Cooking up a storm is a big part of Hari Raya Puasa. Other than the food items on Shopee, don’t forget to check out GrabMart’s Bazaar Kita Page here. You’ll find a decent selection of groceries including:

Fresh produce
Packaged and frozen foods and snacks
Iftar and Sahur cooking essentials
Cakes and desserts
Health and beauty products

Use the coupon code RAYA30 to get 30 per cent off when you spend at least $25 (capped at $12, valid from April 26 to May 23).

A few merchants are also selling their snacks through GrabFood (as opposed to GrabMart). Here’s a selection of what’s on offer:

3. Bazaar Kita on Bungkus: Bazaar food delivered to your doorstep

So maybe everything you touch in the kitchen turns to ashes. Not to worry, lots of merchants are selling piping hot meals on Bungkus. Click here for the list of merchants.

If you’re not already familiar with Bungkus, it’s an online halal marketplace that lets you order food online and have it delivered directly to your doorstep. You can place orders on their website or using their app, available on Apple Store and Google Play.

Here’s a sneak peek of what’s available:

4. Bazaar Kita online performances on Facebook Live

Wisma Geylang Serai will be organising some online performances and activities over the Ramadan Period. Worth checking out if you’re missing the festive atmosphere or if your parents need some entertainment at home.

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/WismaGeylangSerai/posts/4043629675689615[/embed]

Upcoming events will be announced in the coming days. Click here to see the latest programme and access links to the events on Facebook Live.

How to register as a merchant on Bazaar Kita

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/WismaGeylangSerai/photos/a.225845344134753/4034933979892518/[/embed]

If you’re a home business and want to be listed on Bazaar Kita, you can register online on their website.

The listing fee is $88 for home-based businesses, new merchants or existing Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry members. Otherwise, it costs $220 to list your business (but this comes with a 1-year SMCCI membership). See package pricing here.

Geylang Serai bazaar 2021: Stay home edition

It is a downer that Covid-19 has continued into 2021, but hopefully, vaccinations will bring the pandemic to an end and this will be the last year the bazaar needs to be online.

On the bright side, since there’s a good chance that most of your Ramadan purchases will be made online this year, use a credit card that will reward you for online shopping:

ALSO READ: Geylang is lit, as Ramadan bazaar 2021 goes virtual

In the meantime, have a safe and happy Ramadan by enjoying your favourite bazaar snacks and enjoying performances at home with your loved ones.

This article was first published in MoneySmart.

ramadan Geylang Hari Raya Puasa bazaar