The local wooden handicrafts are worth buying, if you're on the lookout for a souvenir or two. The prices are generally cheap if you can find the right places to buy from.
The resorts use Singapore dollars as their de facto currency, but while they're accepted elsewhere on the island as well, exchange rates may not be in your favour and you'll usually be better off using rupiah. Prices on the "Indonesian" part of the island are on par with or slightly higher than other islands in Indonesia, while the price level on Bintan Resorts is quite expensive even by Singapore standards.
The major shopping centres in town, like Ramayana Mall or Bintan Mall, hardly compare to those in Singapore, Jakarta, or Kuala Lumpur, but the items sold are generally cheap, varied, and acceptable quality.
