Though the festive shopping started late this year unlike previous years when people used to go on a shopping spree two weeks before the festive season, traders said people are spending money on a wide variety of products.[break]
Despite the increase in the price of clothes and footwear imported from China, importers said increased high prices have not affected sales volume much as people tend to buy in the festival season despite high prices.
"Regardless of the increase in the price of readymade garments and shoes imported from China by 20 to 40 percent this year due to the increased valuation of Chinese currency and surge in the price of cotton, there has not been much effect on the sales," says Durga Bahadur Shrestha, founding president of Nepal Trans-Himalayn Border Commerce Association.
According to Shrestha, the increase in demand has caused the arrival of Chinese goods to surge by almost 20 percent this year as compared to last year. Large volume of apparel, shoes and electronic products have arrived from China.
Rima Lama from Tahachal says she has to increase her shopping budget with a rise in the price of clothes and footwear this year as compared to the last year.
Traders say the festive shopping which some days ago was affected due to heavy downpour has once again picked up. "We have introduced new shoe brands in the market this year. More people are purchasing canvas shoes as compared to sports shoes which were in demand in Dashain last year," said Mayjan Rai, owner of Track and Trail shoes store at People´s Plaza, New Road.
Like apparel and shoes, mobile phones have emerged as the most purchased product this year as compared to the previous years. "Various Indian companies have introduced mobile phones which are cheaper and come with festive schemes. This has kicked off a trend of giving mobile phones as a gift to relatives and business associates in the festive season," said Ram Maharjan, a mobile phone seller at Tamrakar House, New Road.
Malls reporting sluggish sales
While most traders have been witnessing encouraging sales, malls and department stores are not the places witnessing brisk business and large customer turnout.
Despite an array of festive offers and discount schemes, customers are giving the big stores a miss this festive season.
Most shops at different malls said their business is down this Dashain compared to previous years.
They blame the stiff competition among the surging number of malls and department stores, followed by falling purchasing capacity and political instability for the downturn in business.
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