you can say a lot of things about japanese merchants/craftsmen, but one remarkable thing about them is the insidious way they can convince consumers of certain needs they didn’t even know they had.

nowhere does this become more obvious than when you walk into Saizen [Daiso] Store (Robinson’s Galleria). Few minutes after entering this outlet (about 4 months ago), i was literally hooked. i thought i had stepped into this make-believe wonderland filled with quirky, functional (sometimes barely useful), fascinating, droll, cute, well-crafted and colorful things.

the store offers a drool-worthy array of goods — housewares, office supplies, toys, gift items, hardware supplies, stationery, accessories, beauty products, personal care items, kitchenware, gardening tools, etc. — and everything costs P85. by the time i was ready to pay for my purchases, i was astonished to find 12 different items in my shopping basket (thoughtfully provided by their staff). after an internal struggle, i pared down my loot to 7 items, and right up to the counter i even managed to leave two more items behind (and i didn’t even plan to buy one!).

i thought that was it. the next time i visit Saizen i would be more or less forearmed and able to resist its seductive clutches. hah. wishful thinking.

i’ve been there 5 or 6 times since. and each time i leave, i buy no less than 5 items (yesterday, i bought 8). i agree, most of them i bought for their visual appeal, but so far there have been stuff that turned out to be very useful (like that box of transparent band-aid, pouch for my mp3 player, etc.). and i’m quite sure i’ll be coming back for more.

so what is it about Saizen that draws me (and countless other smitten shoppers) into its irresistible orbit? i can’t quite put into words. it’s something that needs to be experienced to be believed and understood. ask any Saizen patron and (s)he’ll probably give you a list of reasons, along with stacks of items they had inexplicably purchased.

i dare you to go there and leave without buying anything…

as for me… well, for now i promise to buy no more than TWO items the next time i go there. okay. make that THREE. really. i mean it… (negotiation continues)