It seems very much like rush hour at all supermarkets, hypermarkets and malls. With most of them wooing customers like never before, each one of them is trying to outdo the other with discount tags that customers see as “super cool deals”.
“Summer is the time the expatriate community goes on vacation and they look for special deals. So it seems to be the right time to offer discounts,” says a top official at Lulu hypermarket.
“It is an annual practice with our hypermarket,” he adds.
A top executive at Centrepoint says, “The response to our sale has always been positive. We normally have end of season sale. Since the annual holiday falls during this period, we time it accordingly”.
Hemant Ramnani, retail manager (Novelty) of Safeer Hypermarket says, “Our ‘cool deal promotion’ is currently on and we have always value-for-money-deals for shoppers, who can find the best goods and services at most economical prices. We plan to make our hypermarket the choice for our customers by offering better offers on electronic products, home appliances, household products, mobiles, fashion accessories and much more. “Customers can also choose from a wide variety of newly arrived summer wear for men, women and kids. With a wide range of products on offer and a service that makes a difference, our ultimate goal is to exceed customer satisfaction. This promotion is a humble token of appreciation expressing our endless gratitude for our customers’ loyalty and continuous support.”
Officials at some stores, however, insist that it is not the time for them to make profits.
“With most of us selling goods for nearly half the price, there is no way we can register profits. But it is a time when customers reap maximum benefit,” says one of them.
Market experts, however disagree with the claim that the stores don’t make profits. “It is a known fact that across the retail industry, any sale, whether it is end of season or otherwise, usually leads to a huge jump in the number of buys which amounts to the cash registers ringing louder than usual,” he says.
Whatever the case, customers are not complaining at all, as the retailers are offering just what they want.
‘Mouthwatering’ offers “What we are seeing is mouthwatering discounts. Normally, when we go on a holiday we look to buy perfumes, suitcases, clothes, chocolates. Basically, we want to buy giftable items and most of the hypermarkets are offering just that,” says Mona L., an avid shopper who has made the best out of the situation as she heads for a holiday to Goa.
Not just hypermarkets, stores selling international labels too are offering discount.
“It is also a good time to buy international and designer label. The deals are really super cool,” says a fan of big names.
Products like perfumes, makeup, watches are registering a lot of sales. “One of the most popular items for gifting is perfumes and that is why we register a lot of sales of perfumes,” says a retail owner.
Psychologists say the whole concept of sales is that it draws in
the crowds.
“At a store offering up to 50 per cent discount, only a small percentage of goods will be under so much discount. The idea is that the customer will walk in and see something that he or she likes that might not be on sale at all and buy it. It encourages spontaneous buying,” says a counsellor.
“I have done it myself several times,” she adds.
Authorities from the concerned ministry say that it would be wise for customers to be alert while responding to the sale call.
“We are very strict with the misuse of sale concept.
As a consumer, learn to examine carefully before making your purchase decision. Make sure the discount offer is genuine.
If what you buy turns out to be defective, you have every right to get a replacement or a refund,” says an official at the Department of Consumer Protection in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
| Source http://www.timesofoman.com/ |
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