Serene Sarah Zachariah, DH News Service, Bengaluru, Oct 18 2017, 2:47 IST
People purchasing diyas to celebrate the spirit of diwali in Gandhi Bazar Basavanagudi, Bengaluru on Tuesday. Photo by Liz Mathews
The last-minute Deepavali shopping spree, in its traditional sense, was lacklustre this year thanks to Goods and Services Tax (GST) on products and the irresistable discounts and offers that online shopping sites have announced for the festival.
Though enthusiastic shoppers thronged the city’s sweet, clothing, jewellery and other outlets, the shop owners reported an actual slump in sales.
Despite the shopping festival of lights being dimmer this season, glittering malls and traditional festive shopping districts like M G Road, Brigade Road, Commercial Street, Jayanagar 4th Block, Malleswaram, Rajajinagar, Marathahalli ORR, Koramangala, Indiranagar, Banashankari and JP Nagar drew thousands who came to shop there.
At Kanti Sweets, a popular outlet on Sampige Road, Malleswaram, employees said business was duller this year compared to the previous one, when they served customers who queued up for their sweets. Rajasekhar, an employee, said that this year’s Deepavali orders had decreased significantly.
“Mysore Pak and Kaaju Katli are the most commonly bought sweets but this year we have them leftover in excess,” he added.
Sri Krishna sweets which has also been doing well so far, is facing a similar situation.
“Compared to regular sales, this Deepavali sales are greater. But we have not met our targets,” said Nagaraj, the manager at Sri Krishna sweets at the Malleswaram branch.
The gold business has also been facing a serious decline in the revenue this season.
B Govind, manager at the GRT Jewellers at the Sampige Road branch said that consumers usually buy gold lavishly on ‘Dhanteras’, the day of prosperity, wealth and an auspicious day to buy gold and silver. But this year there wasn’t any serious boost in the revenue. “
“We have introduced a lot of discounts and schemes this year and the sales are positive, but they are not rising as we expected. We are hoping to get a better response from the customers in coming days,” says V Shanmuganathan, branch manager at Lalithaa Jewellery, Sampige Road.
Although retailers are experiencing a backslide in the revenue, it is notable that the consumer behaviour has immensely changed over the past ten years. Santhi Bharadwaj, who has been in Bangalore for more than 20 years says that Deepavali shopping has changed a lot for her.
“Deepavali shopping used to be a family event, but now it has become more stretched-out. We don’t really wait for the festival to buy clothes and accessories for our children. Shopping has become more impulsive and it’s become more about living the moment,” she felt.
Mrinalini Raaghav who shares the same sentiment says that because online shopping has got customers by the jugular, with many online marketplaces offering huge discounts and offers, shopping out of home is a declining trend.