Not many Deepavali shoppers
CUTTING COST: Consumers exercising prudence, businesses hoping sales will pick up as Festival of Lights nears
EVEN though Deepavali is just around the corner, not many people are seen doing lastminute shopping.
Checks around Little India in Brickfields here found that most people were cutting cost and spending prudently.
A. Kalaiaarssan, 50, from Sentul, who was out shopping with his wife, said he was trying to cut cost by not buying too many clothes and making their own murukku.
“My kids are all grown up and we are planning to celebrate Deepavali moderately.
“We will not splurge on clothes and decorations. Instead, we will spend more on food.
“My wife will be cooking mutton and chicken and also vegetarian delicacies for our close relatives who will be visiting,” he said.
A. Bamadevi, 42, who is a single mother, said she felt the pinch as everything was expensive.
“This time around, I will only buy clothes for my youngest daughter.
“Everything is so expensive, even
Brickfields, yesterday. a container of murukku costs RM28, when it only cost RM12 last year,” said the mother of three.
Business operator, M. Vennila, 40, who had been operating her stall since early this month, found the number of customers this year had dropped compared with two years ago.
“I am expecting a crowd at the last minute. My customers are mainly city folk who love to do last-minute shopping,” said the accessories seller.
Cookie-seller, R. Shanmugnathan, 56, who had been selling cookies for the past 15 years, agreed, adding that business was slow.
Most of his customers were tourists from the United States and the United Kingdom who love his butter cookies.
“The locals, however, prefer my pineapple tart cookies,” he said.
A sari trader, who wanted to be identified as Mala, said the Pajuramas Punjabi suit was the latest design for this year.
“People love the design as it has a gold theme,” she said, adding that the price range was between RM100 and RM200.
Mala also said that those who wanted to wear saris opted for cotton ones as the weather was hot. (second from left) with customers looking to buy
in Little India, and her daughter, S. Praveena, shopping for
Brickfields, yesterday.
adjusting his son’s collar as the
child tries on a Deepavali suit in Little
India,
yesterday.