Huge stock yet to drive up sales as customers shy away

The cosmetics shops are witnessing a lackluster sale against the pile of products they are filled with as cosmoholics are reluctant to walk into these stores.

Traders said a huge stock of winter cosmetics is available in every market across the capital but their sale has plummeted compared to what was evident during the same period in earlier years.

While visiting various local and renowned cosmetics shops, super shops and even local grocery stores, The Business Post found that shopkeepers have hoarded up winter care products such as body lotion, moisturizing cream, lip balm, etc., but their sale has taken a dip.

It appears that cosmetics lovers are yet to get over pandemic shock which has upended the lives as a whole over the past two years.

Meril Petroleum Jelly, Tibbet Pomade, Ponds Body Lotion, Fair & Lovely Moisturizing Cream, Fair & Lovely Body Lotion, Meril Revive Body Lotion, Cute Moisturizing Cream are the most popular Bangladeshi brands available in each and every market in the city.

On the other hand, winter care products of foreign brands like Nivea Cream, Vaseline Lotion, Vaselin Petroleum Jelly, BoroPlus Lotion, Boro Plus Lip Balm, Dove Body Lotion, Enchanteur Body Lotion are also available in almost every super shop and renowned beauty stores in the capital.

Taking to The Business Post, Badol Hossain, sales representative of a cosmetics shop at Fortune Super Market at Mouchak in Dhaka, said this winter is yet to cause an excitement and festive vibe among consumers to go for a random purchase of care products as before.

“We have stocked a large variety of products eying a big sale, but to no avail. We are far from making profit as customer response is very poor,” he explained.

“Most middle-class consumers consider buying winter cosmetics as luxury. They are also worried about the Covid-19 situation in the winter, and are keen to save more money rather than spending on such care products.”

This pandemic has compelled a large cross-section of individuals to cut their coat according to their cloth, opined Badol.

Another shop owner namely Harun in Banasree pointed out that the sale of local brands of winter cosmetics is very low -- only 10 per cent -- but comparatively foreign brands sale high -- around 35 per cent. The well-off consumers prefer costly foreign products to cheap-rated local ones.

However, shoppers say they are reluctant to spend on local products despite the fact that their prices have not gone up since they emphasize quality over price.

A retired police Monsur Alam who was spotted buying winter cosmetics from a beauty shop in Police Plaza said he has come to buy Meril Petroleum Jelly for him, Ponds Body Lotion for his wife and Enchanteur Body Lotion for his daughter.

Asked about his choice for local brand, he noted that the smell of Meril Petroleum Jelly makes him feel nostalgic as some Bangladeshi brands have carved out a niche in the market and have a great appeal for customers since 1990s.

“From my childhood my siblings and I waited for winter to get new body lotion and petroleum jelly. Such longing is missing among the new generation,” recalled Mr Alam.

Nowadays most youngsters are losing interest in local products. They are going for foreign brands which are a great threat to local businesses as well as economy, argued the retiree.