With Eid-ul-Fitr only days away, clothing stores in Dhaka are abuzz with customers, but the owners are not fully happy as they bemoan that sales have not returned to the pre-pandemic level despite a sharp drop in coronavirus cases, reports bdnews24.com.
The traders hope sales will exceed their expectations in the rest of the days before Eid.
Usually, the crowds of shoppers start getting bigger at 2pm. After a break for Iftar, the customers return to the markets.
"Our store had usually been full to the brim during Ramadan. We haven't got that many customers this year," said Injamul Haque, manager of clothing brand Rise at Jamuna Future Park.
"Naturally people are spending cautiously. They are not buying anything unnecessary. This is why sales have not increased much," he said.
The Aarong store at the shopping centre was relatively more crowded than other shops, but sales assistant Md Sumon claimed they have fewer customers now than they had before the pandemic struck in early 2020.
At Plus Point store in the complex, customers were interested in buying dresses priced below Tk 2,500. Its Manager Zahirul Islam said they had thought there would be huge pressure during Eid. "But still there are not many customers."
At Bashundhara City shopping complex, Pride had usually sold sarees worth up to Tk 500,000 on every Friday and Saturday before Eid, said its Manager Shamsunnahar Doly.
"But the sales [on every Friday and Saturday before Eid] have decreased to Tk 100,000 this time," she said.
"We've the same products and the prices have not increased, but sales have not. We had great expectations centring Eid, but don't get many customers."
Apex at Bashundhara was crowded with customers of footwear last Friday and Saturday, but Manager Rubel Mia said the number of shoppers was still below the level in 2019. "We had thought people will shop like crazy, but it hasn't happened."
People are also buying products for home decoration. But Shaheed Ahmed, a sales assistant at home textile brand Hometex's Bashundhara City outlet, blamed a hike in prices for the less-than-expected sales.
"Everything has become costlier. People are coming to the market, but how many of them are shopping? Many cannot buy necessary products for the high prices," he said.
Jahid Mahmud, owner of panjabi shop Nabadiganta at New Super Market, said they are making some profits after suffering losses in the past two years. "But still the condition is not the same as before."
He also said people are less interested in visiting the New Market area after recent clashes between store workers and Dhaka College students.
Tasnuva Islam, who came to buy panjabi from Aarong's Bashundhara City outlet for her father and brother, does not think the prices have gone up much. "Traders could not raise the prices due to COVID."
Sanjida Khandaker, who bought ornaments in the New Market area, however, said prices of many products have increased after the coronavirus pandemic. "The earrings priced at Tk 150 before the pandemic now cost at least Tk 350," she said.
Saidul Islam Robin from Kamrangirchar bought three pairs of sandals for his wife and children. "I've also bought dresses for my children. It means a lot for me that I've been able to buy them something for Eid."