Forerunner to the Great Shopping Spree

NT Network
Posted on 2008-10-07
It is the time of the year when sales and exhibitions have started making an appearance amongst us. ‘Pretty Home’, ‘Consumer Shoppe’, ‘Inside & Outside’ or ‘Karedi Yatra’, they are all in full bloom in our open grounds. Not Surprising! Since it is the time of the Dussera Festival, an occasion which many families consider lucky for buying.
Apart from these old faithful exhibitors, existing store owners are not sitting idle either. Witness the shop fronts and the crowds thronging our streets and it is apparent the ‘Great Shopping Season’ is close to its peak. Quite a few stores have started putting up their decorative lights while, window fronts have been spruced up with eye-catching wares. Says a city-based store owner, “The shopping season in Goa, begins right from Chaturthi time and continues up to the new year. You can say that we are in midst of it right now, although we consider the clientele to get even better in the coming days.”
So, what are people buying? Consumer durables, is what tops the list followed by clothes and jewellery. Among durables, two and four-wheelers are hot on the list while furniture is a close second. Points out a shop proprietor at Panjim, “We are looking at a good demand for electronic items too as quite a few outlets are offering big discounts.”
Meanwhile, jewellery store owners point out that the Goan fascination for precious metals continues, no matter the fluctuating price of gold. Thus, in their stores there is a fair number of customers keeping them on toes through out the day. Meanwhile, even out-of-state jewellers are facing a healthy interest for their designs encouraging them to pay a return visit before the season ends.
As for apparel, shop owners point out that sales of apparels continue through out the year. However, the significant trend these days is an increase in the purchase of traditional attire like ‘kurtas’ and
sarees. Clearly, when it comes to age-old festivals, residents love to dress up in conventional wear
which has a timeless appeal. So, it is silks being purchased these days while useful polyester takes a back-seat. - SP