A visit of various markets indicates that the shopkeepers not expecting huge turnover of customers on Eidul-Azha due to exorbitant high prices of sacrificial animals and preparing side by side to celebrating Eid and independence day with a different of less then nine days.
Shopping malls in the provincial capital witnessed poor sales of garments ahead of Eidul-Azha, which is only few days away, causing immense frustration among the shop owners. While visiting different city shopping malls, this correspondent found that most of the salespersons were sitting idle and eagerly waiting for customers at their shops. But we witnessed huge rush of shoppers at this time last year, said a readymade garment shop owner. "It is frustrating that turnout of customers is lower, he said adding that though sales on Eidul-Azha festival is generally lower than that of Eidul-Fitr but this year it is much lower. On the occasion of the Eid festival, fashion outlets are displaying wide range of dresses of latest designs at their shops in different shopping centers in the provincial capital.
"Household expenditure has doubled and tripled in last one year but salary of people are the same as before. There's no question arise to buy new cloth this year on Eidul-Azha", said a salaried person.
A garment seller said that business over the past week was much worse than usual. Clothing vendors in the city reported sluggish sales during the shopping season up to Eidul-Azha. However, the affluent people can afford readymade clothes on Eidul-Azha as well which increases sale as compared to usual sale. Normally, the sale of readymade garments on Eidul-Azha demands much less as compared to the sale during Eidul-Fitr. Some designers have come up with heavy discounts on their stocks while many outlets are offering up to 70 pc discount on items like footwear, bags and home textiles to lure buyers.
A quick look at the price tags of readymade garments in the windows indicates that shop owners decided to slash prices or hanged posters offering sale at reduced price to encourage customers. No rush was witnessed in city market making purchasing for Eidul-Azha. According to shopkeepers, sale registered sharp decline as compared to last year in the sales of the most popular commodities associated with Eid - primarily clothes and shoes.