The Capital’s favourite destinations for fashion shopping on a budget — Sarojini Nagar and Janpath — have not managed to escape the heat of demonetisation.
With buyers out of cash and traders short of change, bargaining has taken a hit.
Ashwani, who sells garments and mobile covers at Janpath, said: “Business has been hit. Now we sell everything at fixed price and ask the customer to give exact change.”
“People are very smart. Initially, the buyers would give us Rs. 500 notes, which we would accept thinking to get it exchanged or deposited later. We had to earn, after all. Now, we only accept new currency. The problem is that people give us Rs. 2,000 notes, which we don’t have change for,” Ashwani added.
Lost charm
At the famous Gujarati market at Janpath, Jyoti ben sat waiting for customers.
“The girls are not shopping much. Bargaining has lost its charm. How do we bargain when there is no cash in anybody’s pockets. Even foreigners, who loved our items, know about it,” she rued.
At Sarojini Nagar, things are no different.
Kamla Devi, a vendor who sells accessories here, said, “I have not been able to save even Rs. 200 a day since the demonetisation announcement. Also, we are harassed by the corporations who blame us for vending in a non-vending zone. Where do we go? The poor people are suffering,” she said.
Rahul, a young man who sat at his clothes stall, spoke of how customers were not engaging in any kind of bargaining. He, however, seemed hopeful of things returning to normal soon.
“It will take time. Till then, I will sell everything at fixed price,” said Rahul.
Prabha, a government school teacher from Dhaka village in north Delhi who is a regular at Sarojini Nagar, said, “Even if I bargain for something and try to buy it for Rs. 150, I end up paying Rs. 200. The traders don’t return Rs. 50 change. Smaller currency was never this precious.”
At the Darya Ganj market, too, baker Durga Singh Rana had a tough time putting the Rs. 2,000 notes to use.
“Wherever I gave the new note, people refused to sell me anything. From where do we get so much change?” she asked.
Even if I bargain for something and try
to buy it for Rs. 150, I end up paying
Rs. 200. The
traders don’t return Rs. 50 change
