Fashion businesses oriented to Eid-ul-Fitr are still waiting to gain momentum even though the month of Ramadan is at its 23th-day.
Fashion house owners blamed the absence of public transport and restricted shop opening hours for discouraging shoppers to visit markets.
An unusually thin crowd was seen on Thursday during the biggest selling season at some of the capital’s popular shopping destinations — Gausia, Noor Jahan, Chandni Chawk, New Market, Bashundhara Shopping Mall, Elephant Road, Baily Road and Shimanto Square.
Bank official Ehsanul Karim came to New Market from Gazipur with his wife to do some shopping. For him, Eid shopping this year is synonymous to suffering as public transportation has not resumed fully.
He still did not find the desired items for his whole family even after walking around the market for about two and a half hours.
“It’s hard to find good quality products at a reasonable price. Most of the designs I found were ordinary. A shirt that was worth Tk 500 two years ago now costs Tk 1,200. A three-piece set that used to be available at Tk 2,500 now wears a price-tag of Tk 3,990,” Ehsanul said.
After visiting these markets, it was found that women’s clothing stores were relatively crowded. However, shopkeepers claimed that sales were poor despite the turnout.
Shanti Ranjan Saha, sales manager of ‘Tat Ghar’ at Bailey Road, said, “Sales are worse this year than the same period of last year. Those who are flocking are mostly window shoppers.”
MK Azad, a shop owner at Chandni Chawk Super Market, said that not only them but also owners at the nearby Chandrima market were suffering from low sales.
“People are shopping online, which has affected the physical market,” Azad added.
Nazrul Islam, owner of RM Fashion, a children's clothing store at Chandrima Market, said, “Last year, I sold products worth Tk 10,000-20,000 every day during Eid season. This year I couldn’t sell more than Tk 5,000 to Tk 7,000.”
Sellers said all of them tried not to drive away before the last days of Eid. They even brought down their profit margin or offered discounts to clear stocks.
Nazmul Karim, a saree seller at Hawkers Market near Nilkhet, said they sometimes sell sarees or other clothing at purchase prices on the day before Eid.
Mizanur Rahman, sales operations manager of Bay Emporium shoe store at Bashundhara City, emphasised the need to keep shops open till midnight before Eid to generate sales. According to him, half of the business that takes place during the whole of Ramadan is after 27 Ramadan.
“People come to buy at these hours, not to stroll,” Mizanur added.
Meanwhile, sidewalk vendors of the New Market area told The Business Post that Eid sales began in full swing for them from Tuesday.
