While rain has played spoilsport with last-minute Deepavali shopping, a section of businessmen is optimistic that it might translate into an extended shopping period.
“We are expecting shopping to extend for some days after Deepavali because of the rain. This year, we have seen good sales in LED television sets,” says Gunasekaran, president, Pondicherry Consumer Durables Shops Association.
The new entrant on the block, the ‘Curved TV’ is attracting people at the stores with customers enquiring what is different about the UHD (Ultra-high-definition) technology in televisions, says Mr. Gunasekaran. The price of the sets, which is upwards of Rs 1 lakh, is a deterrent though.
Also aiding sales of LED television sets is the high customs duty (around 36 per cent) customers have to pay on TV sets while bringing them from abroad, which was imposed in August 2013. There has been an increase of around 40 per cent sales of LED TVs in the last six months, says Mr. Gunasekaran.
Among traders hit by the heavy rain are firecracker retailers. “There was unnecessary delay on the part of the Revenue Department in granting new and renewing licences to set up stalls. We got the licence only last Thursday and since Friday it has been raining. We are seeing lower sales this year,” says one of the firecracker retailers. Firecracker retailers say online trading in firecrackers from Kallakurichi and Sivakasi have also affected their sales. They also say that the rules stipulated by the government are not followed by large stalls put by government cooperatives. “Even if we get lower profits, we want to finish our stock by Deepavali. We cannot return the crackers and have no space to stock them,” says the retailer.
Meanwhile, textile retailers are saying that companies from outside Puducherry are selling their goods in halls with huge discounts, and this has affected their business. “After Deepavali, these traders leave Puducherry, whereby revenue goes to other States. It ultimately kills all business. We have complained in the past about this,” says Kevin, secretary of the Pondicherry Readymade Garments Association. He says footfalls from neighbouring areas such as Cuddalore and Villupuram have also fallen.
