SATISH HANDA
With the start of holy ‘Navratras’ domestic markets in Haryana has started attracting customers after a long dullness due to spread of corona epidemic outbreak as well as lock down declared by the government. Nearly 80% visiting customers in retail showrooms in towns in the state and Chandigarh were seen in shopping mood during present ‘Navratras’ the beginning of festival season. Survey report by Retailers Association of India (RAI) observed that as per Festival Shopping Index-2020, nearly 66% consumers were seen involved in shopping at retail stores and 34% consumers told that they prefer to make purchases from malls making selections from variety. Survey trend revealed that few of buyers started purchase through on-line channel shopping making payment through digital sources, which helped them to provide product knowledge to make purchases in physical stores. Most of the consumers were found unsatisfied from on-line purchases due to erratic services in past few months during lock down as well as unlock period.
The Financial World in a survey at Chandigarh and other prominent towns in Haryana found that 53% consumers said that they want to buy clothes and readymade garments for their family during this festival season, 47% buyers told that they are going to purchase home appliances and electronic gadgets in this festival season and nearly 23% buyers expressed desire to purchase gift and personal use items in this festival season. According to traders, suffered a lot in past few months, now hoping for the best in present festival season since buyers has started visiting retail stores in-spite of the fact corona virus still has not been wiped out completely so far.
Festival season has brought relief to automobile and real estate business, a survey at Chandigarh reveals the buyers in real estate business are seen more interested in ready-to-move house instead of buying a plot. The retail showrooms in electronics and readymade garment sectors are getting good response, whereas automobile sector, too, has witnessed between 15-30% growthduring present ‘Navratras’ as compared to previous year in-spite of financial crunch due to epidemic outbreak. According to prominent brand automobile dealers at Chandigarh, they had 25-30% increase in sale or booking of cars and two-wheelers during present ‘Navratras’, which include nearly 15% increase in sale of luxury and SUV cars as compared to last year expecting sale worth Rs 50 crore in case of cars and Rs 30 crore in case of two-wheelers in this period.
Similarly, maximum number of deals in real estate sector has been reported during ‘Navratra’ this year, which include nearly 90% share of small plots and ready-to-move houses or flats. According to a private developer, nearly 10% increase in business in real estate sector has been recorded during present ‘Navratras’ as compared to last year and good response has been seen in case of built flats. Information reveals the retail sale during present ‘Navratras’ in case of electronics product including TV sets, Laptop and mobile phones has been recorded at par with the sale last year. According to traders in biggest wholesale cloth market in North at Ambala City they witnessed drastic drop in sale since month April this year and suffered heavy losses in the absence of cloth traders visiting from within as well as adjoining states but still they hope to recover losses to some extent during this festival as well as marriage season.
