Higher prices and heavy rain dampen Deepavali sales

Many people were in Little India, Penang, but not many were buying. (Bernama pic)

GEORGE TOWN: Traders in Penang’s Little India here have reported lower sales this Deepavali although the popular shopping area was still attracting the crowds.

A check on the area this afternoon showed people thronging Queen Street, Chulia Street and Market Street, doing last-minute shopping for the Hindu festival.

However, retail store director K. Nadarajan said a lot of people were just window shopping. He said the rise in prices of goods and continuous rains were among the reasons that business this year was slower than last year.

“Overall, we see a drop of around 20% of sales volume for the store,” he said.

He said most of his customers purchased the diya (oil lamp) imported from Bombay, India.

K. Ravi, who sells sweets and murukku, said most of the last-minute visitors to Little India were from nearby regions.

He said that people nowadays would expect easy, fast and convenient services to get their products.

“The business is not as good as in the last Deepavali celebrations, but overall is still manageable,” he said.

Anita Sarees Centre proprietor MP Alagarsamy said that apart from the rainy weather, competition from traders outside Little India has also affected their business.

He said these merchants, including people from other states, had set up stalls all across Penang island and the mainland.

“Back then, we did not have many of these stalls, but now when customers come by and see our products, they would tell us that they can get them cheaper somewhere else,” he said.

He also said that he had considered putting his business online but had decided against it.

“The packaging would likely be damaged during delivery and customers would ask for refunds. So I see no point in putting my business online,” he added. - FMT