When it comes to clothes considered to be cheap, there are those who just have to make their first grab, even when the garments are on a rack, clearly en route to the sales floor

First to snatch, first to gain: the woman that started it all

There is something about a warehouse sale that brings out acute desperation among shoppers, especially women who think they simply cannot miss out on the tearfully cheap. Shared on TikTok recently was a scene in which a woman—in full kiasu display—rushed to a rack of clothing being wheeled to its designated spot, grabbing what was hung on it, and initiating a snatchfest that had the other frantic women squealing in delight. There was no stopping her and her fellow grabbers. She needed to make the first grab, just as worshippers at temples on the eve of Chinese New Year have to 插头香 (chatouxiang) or be the first to stick joss sticks into the urn at the stroke of midnight (for good luck). Although the TikToker, who shared the video the Sunday before last, did not say at which sale he witness the jumble, and The New Paper—fascinated by the “trashy behaviour”—called it “trendy clothes at Expo sale”, we could see that it was the Zara Warehouse Sale at the Singapore Expo, hallowed haven of warehouse sales.

In the video, it was clear that the unabashed woman and, quickly, her ilk were not inside one of the exhibition halls. Zara’s workers (probably part-timers) were seen pushing racks of clothes to an unseen end point, but before they could complete their task, the main star, a woman in a white cK T-shirt, Barbie-pink tights, and just-as-Barbie-worthy fuzzy pink mules, surged forward. It appeared that she was, at first, told by one member of the staff to hold back, but, as the rack picked up pace, she could not help herself. She quickly grab a belt and a hi-vis green blazer, even when the rack was moved away from her. By then, other women, too, were zeroing in on the target. As other racks emerged, the attacks became more ferocious. When one final rack (in the video) was pushed out, the women swarmed it and squealed in orgiastic delight. Someone was heard saying, ”oh my god”, but it is not certainly if it was uttered in response to the rack being waylaid or that it was filled with delightful clothes.

In seconds, the rack and the guy (in the middle) were swarmed. There was no restraining the women

It was clearly feeding time. And the women famished for bargains—apparently, as low as S$2 for accessories—could not help themselves. Their appetites were, by then, whipped up. The morbid cravings meant no one needed to keep their behaviour in check. This was a feast and they had to compete, or they would lose out on a chance to devour. But this was not the buying of big ticket items or electronics, or household items, this was the purchasing of clothing—dirt-cheap clothing. While fashion merchandise bring out the beauty implicit in their existence, the act of acquiring them does not. In securing the pieces of the garments, the woman in the white cK tee—and her fellow miscreants—overlooked what they were presenting to one phone camera turned on in front of them (there could be more). Did she even care? Or that her friends would know when she wears that unforgettable green jacket out with them that it is the one she had snatched off the rack at the Zara Warehouse Sale. Or would they envy her?

Such ignominious behaviour is not only seen at the Expo sales. The legendary Club 21 Bazaars (somewhat scaled down since the start of the COVID pandemic, and less bazaars than pop-ups) was known for determined shoppers who behave terribly (one of our contributors was there in 2014, and survived it to file this post) in order not to leave empty-handed. At both events (F1 Pit Building and Singapore Expo respectively), apart from the scrimmage, clothes ended on the ground when not wanted. Even garments at the Salvation Army deserve respect, but in the vigorous reach for the cheap-and-fashionable, clothes are rags if they don’t arouse the appetite. Rather depressingly, this is now standard behaviour at many clear-out sales, and ready to be part of SingapuraVibes, just as the appalling “chope with tissue paper” has, so that selfish actions are now something we can Rawr about.

Screen shot: kevin4pres/TikTok