PRAYAGRAJ: At a time when traders look forward to making profit and brisk sales during the festival of Diwali, the online market is posing a tough challenge for them.
Almost all the shops, be it electronic goods, toys, dry fruits, chocolate hampers or others, all have increased their stock in anticipation of the hefty sale this Diwali. However, barring the sweet shops and some other store owners, many have witnessed a decline in sale despite attractive discounts.
“Now, every buyer checks the price on online sites and then starts the bargain”, said Varun Jaiswal, a trader in Civil Lines. Ajay Malhotra, owner of a mobile and gadget shop in Indira Bhavan said, “The online sale has spoiled the festival for us. First it was Covid pandemic for the last two years and now it is on sale on online sites reducing our sales by around 50%”.
President of Civil Lines Vyapar Mandal, Shusil Kharbanda said, “After two years of pandemic, the city businessmen had increased their stocks on the apprehension of good sale during festival but the offers provided by online site, both on Dussehra and Diwali, have played spoilsport.”
Kashi traders appeal to boycott online shopping: In Varanasi too traders fear a loss of around 30-40% in sales due to online shopping. Divisional president of Uttar Pradesh Udyog Vyapar representative board (Kanchal faction) Vijay Kapoor and divisional general secretary Mukesh Jaiswal have requested the customers of the holy city to boycott online shopping completely this Diwali to bring back smiles on the faces of small traders.
“Small traders are losing their business due to online shopping. Most of us are facing the recession and have to pay huge interest on loan, electricity bills while there are no such expenses in online trading thus it is necessary to boycott online shopping to save local traders,” said Jaiswal.
Traders stage protest in Kanpur: The Uttar Pradesh Prantiya Vyapar Mandal (UPPVM) has been staging protests in Kanpur against online shopping. President UPPVM Abhimanyu Gupta said that they have been appealing to customers to help the shopkeepers this Diwali who are already troubled due to recession, closure of shops during Covid pandemic and inflation. “We have been appealing to people to buy products from local shopkeepers instead of online sites and make their festival enjoyable too,” said Gupta.
E-commerce is causing a lot of damage to the retail business and still the government, both at central and state, are promoting it. “According to the report of NITI Aayog, the local shops will be finished by 2025 and after 10 years, all these retail shops will vanish,” he cautioned.
Vice president of the organisation, Shyam Ji Sharma said, “We have demanded that 15 % additional retailer/shopkeeper incentive fee should be levied on online business and online business companies should not get the benefit of any exemption in GST registration. The government should ensure that online sales are done at the retailer rate so that the online companies do not sell their goods at less price than that of retailers.”
Gorakhpur: In the market of utensils, electronics, mobile phones etc. 60% of the purchase has been adversely affected. “We are not ordering goods in high quantities as we are not sure of the sales. Diwali used to be the time of profits but online shopping has spoiled it,” said Syed Saad Hussain, owner of a utensil shop in Golghar market.
Jhansi: “Because of online shopping, sales of over the counter (OTC) products have reduced to 30-40%, said Dinesh Sethi, owner of a leading bakery and confectionery store in Jhansi.”.
However, garments stores in Prayagraj have reported to be doing good business. “Customers want to buy clothes offline as they get a better idea of design and fitting,” said manager of a leading store in Prayagraj, Ashish Pandey.
Likewise, at Jhansi, owner of a gadget shop Sanjay Arora feels, “A lot of customers are now turning back to showrooms for gadget purchasing after many complaints of inferior quality products.” “On online shopping portals everything come handy, especially for the ones who stay out of their homes in different cities as we can send everything from sweets to flowers, cake and even diyas yo our loved ones,” said Divyanka, a resident of Jhunsi, Prayagraj.
Almost all the shops, be it electronic goods, toys, dry fruits, chocolate hampers or others, all have increased their stock in anticipation of the hefty sale this Diwali. However, barring the sweet shops and some other store owners, many have witnessed a decline in sale despite attractive discounts.
“Now, every buyer checks the price on online sites and then starts the bargain”, said Varun Jaiswal, a trader in Civil Lines. Ajay Malhotra, owner of a mobile and gadget shop in Indira Bhavan said, “The online sale has spoiled the festival for us. First it was Covid pandemic for the last two years and now it is on sale on online sites reducing our sales by around 50%”.
President of Civil Lines Vyapar Mandal, Shusil Kharbanda said, “After two years of pandemic, the city businessmen had increased their stocks on the apprehension of good sale during festival but the offers provided by online site, both on Dussehra and Diwali, have played spoilsport.”
Kashi traders appeal to boycott online shopping: In Varanasi too traders fear a loss of around 30-40% in sales due to online shopping. Divisional president of Uttar Pradesh Udyog Vyapar representative board (Kanchal faction) Vijay Kapoor and divisional general secretary Mukesh Jaiswal have requested the customers of the holy city to boycott online shopping completely this Diwali to bring back smiles on the faces of small traders.
“Small traders are losing their business due to online shopping. Most of us are facing the recession and have to pay huge interest on loan, electricity bills while there are no such expenses in online trading thus it is necessary to boycott online shopping to save local traders,” said Jaiswal.
Traders stage protest in Kanpur: The Uttar Pradesh Prantiya Vyapar Mandal (UPPVM) has been staging protests in Kanpur against online shopping. President UPPVM Abhimanyu Gupta said that they have been appealing to customers to help the shopkeepers this Diwali who are already troubled due to recession, closure of shops during Covid pandemic and inflation. “We have been appealing to people to buy products from local shopkeepers instead of online sites and make their festival enjoyable too,” said Gupta.
E-commerce is causing a lot of damage to the retail business and still the government, both at central and state, are promoting it. “According to the report of NITI Aayog, the local shops will be finished by 2025 and after 10 years, all these retail shops will vanish,” he cautioned.
Vice president of the organisation, Shyam Ji Sharma said, “We have demanded that 15 % additional retailer/shopkeeper incentive fee should be levied on online business and online business companies should not get the benefit of any exemption in GST registration. The government should ensure that online sales are done at the retailer rate so that the online companies do not sell their goods at less price than that of retailers.”
Gorakhpur: In the market of utensils, electronics, mobile phones etc. 60% of the purchase has been adversely affected. “We are not ordering goods in high quantities as we are not sure of the sales. Diwali used to be the time of profits but online shopping has spoiled it,” said Syed Saad Hussain, owner of a utensil shop in Golghar market.
Jhansi: “Because of online shopping, sales of over the counter (OTC) products have reduced to 30-40%, said Dinesh Sethi, owner of a leading bakery and confectionery store in Jhansi.”.
However, garments stores in Prayagraj have reported to be doing good business. “Customers want to buy clothes offline as they get a better idea of design and fitting,” said manager of a leading store in Prayagraj, Ashish Pandey.
Likewise, at Jhansi, owner of a gadget shop Sanjay Arora feels, “A lot of customers are now turning back to showrooms for gadget purchasing after many complaints of inferior quality products.” “On online shopping portals everything come handy, especially for the ones who stay out of their homes in different cities as we can send everything from sweets to flowers, cake and even diyas yo our loved ones,” said Divyanka, a resident of Jhunsi, Prayagraj.
