Exploiting the commercial potential of Idul Fitri<\/p>\n
By Shanti Venkateswaran<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Lebaran means different things to different
\npeople. To the devout and deeply religious, it is the time of
\nyear given entirely to prayers and fulfilling religious
\nobligations. To the not-so-religious but God-fearing
\nnevertheless, it is an opportunity to once again renew their
\nfaith and adhere to religious practices given the go by during
\nthe year past.<\/p>\n
Whatever its religious significance to the average Moslem, its
\ncommercial potential never fails to be exploited or taken
\nadvantage of, long before the sighting of the moon that signals
\nthe start of the fasting month of Ramadhan.<\/p>\n
Department store chains and retail outlets of all
\ndenominations start planning their market strategies for the
\ncoming Lebaran long before Christmas. In a way, the Christmas
\nseason is a sort of testing ground for the year's newcomers to
\nthe marketplace. And somehow, the festive spirit that begins with
\nChristmas never really seems to go away; the expectancy is
\npalpable in the bazaars all around us.<\/p>\n
The bigger among the retail chains strive to be different with
\neach passing year; after all, they claim exclusivity as their
\nraison d'etre. In this category falls Pasaraya, 22 years in the
\nretail business and a household name among Jakarta's elite.<\/p>\n
In keeping with the sentiment of being different from the
\nrest, the Pasaraya group organized a Ceramah Ramadhan on Jan. 28
\nat Mega Pasaraya in Kebayoran Baru. Freely translated, it means A
\nDiscourse on Islam and the Koran.<\/p>\n
Meant to be a dialog between Islamic scholars and the man on
\nthe street, it was the chain's special way of helping spread a
\nbetter understanding and appreciation of Islam and make better
\nMoslems of its customers.<\/p>\n
Leading ASEAN Islamic scholar Quraish Shihab and Toto Tasmara
\naddressed the gathering and answered questions put forth by the
\nparticipants, who came from different age groups. An annual
\nLebaran happening, the event also discussed trends among young
\nexecutives in carrying out fasting obligations during Ramadhan.<\/p>\n
In the context of hectic executive work schedules, it was
\nhoped that this event would provide a forum for a free and frank
\nexchange of views and discussion of problems encountered in
\nfulfilling religious obligations juxtaposed with work
\nobligations. Admissions were by invitations only to its
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
Dressing up<\/p>\n
Lebaran is that time of year when purses are cash-rich with
\nannual bonuses and hearts are filled with the desire to be
\ntrendily attired. Clothes are traditionally a fast-moving
\ncommodity during festive seasons with the ready-to-wear fashion
\nhaving a year-round market.<\/p>\n
To cash in on this, the Pasaraya group also organized a
\nfashion show of Busana Muslim, featuring leading Indonesian
\ndesigners such as Ida Leman, Ida Royani, Anne Rufaidah, Lydia
\nWibowo and Nani Widjaya.<\/p>\n
Held on Jan. 21, the start of the Ramadhan month, the two-hour
\nshow featured 15 designers and 20 models. Some of the creations
\nwere sold right after the show. The buyers were mostly in the
\nabove-30 age group. Quizzed on the preferences of its customers,
\nPasaraya's Manager for Direct Marketing Syamsul Munir said that
\nthe majority prefers pret-a-porter fashion except where specific
\nsize considerations were taken in. The group targets the upper-
\nmiddle segment and elite segment of the consumer market.<\/p>\n
Hampers<\/p>\n
If trendy clothes are in for the upwardly mobile, can gift
\nhampers be far behind? Nobody is exactly sure when or where this
\npractice of giving gift hampers began in Indonesia. However, all
\nare agreed that they have been around for as long as one can
\nremember.<\/p>\n
What began as home-cooked Idul Fitri specials -- distributed
\namong relatives and a few close friends in the neighborhood --
\nhave since become organized sales efforts, catering to a variety
\ndemands and tastes.<\/p>\n
When the business of parcels first began, alcoholic drinks
\nfigured prominently. However, with more Islamization, consumers
\nand retailers alike began to turn to parcels which truly
\nreflected Islamic values. A typical Ramadhan parcel shuns
\nalcoholic beverages; instead, it would include a white prayer
\noutfit, praying mat, a Qiblat to indicate the direction of Mecca
\nin its contents.<\/p>\n
In recent times, prestige and status have come to be closely
\nassociated with parcel contents. While food hampers continue to
\nbe a favorite draw for those at the lower end of the income
\nscale, there are those among the nouveau riche who consider food
\nhampers to be ordinary. They seek exclusivity in custom-made
\nhampers, even if it is at a price. Popular hamper items with the
\nmiddle and upper-middle class are crockery and cutlery,
\nglassware, bedspreads, towels and table mats.<\/p>\n
Golden Truly is a department store chain with six outlets
\nlocated in Jakarta. In the retail business since 1981, its target
\ncustomers come from different income and educational levels.<\/p>\n
In keeping with its one-stop-shopping policy, the chain not
\nonly stocks ready-to-buy parcels but also has a service to take
\norders for parcels. Large corporate concerns eager to avail
\nthemselves of discounts on bulk orders, take advantage of
\nreasonable prices to place orders for thousands of parcels at a
\ntime. Consumers buying more than 10 parcels get a 5 percent
\ndiscount at its supermarkets, while a 22 percent discount is
\ngiven to those buying even just one parcel from its department
\nstores.<\/p>\n
In a typical department store like Golden Truly, the baskets
\nused in hampers are purchased from cottage industries. During the
\nChristmas and Idul Fitri seasons, some of its staff are assigned
\nthe job of putting the hampers together. Customers' orders for
\nparcels given in small boxes are packed in the shop. Baskets with
\nnon-food items such as crockery, bedspreads and so on are usually
\nprepared before Ramadhan. Food and drink hampers follow next,
\nwith careful attention paid to expiry dates.<\/p>\n
The more established among the department store chains usually
\nallow exchange if an error in a hamper's contents is brought to
\ntheir notice.<\/p>\n
At Pasaraya, prices range from Rp 100,000 to Rp 500,000 for
\nfood hampers and from Rp 200,000 to Rp 1,000,000 for non-food
\nhampers. The latter is also made up of silk and handmade batik
\ncollectibles. Exclusivity is their hallmark. Owing to its pricey
\nfeature, these are usually targeted at big companies and the very
\nrich among its clients.<\/p>\n
Collectibles are usually targeted at individuals, while the
\nbig companies prefer food hampers whose contents can be
\ndistributed among many.<\/p>\n
Syamsul Munir confirms that food hampers continue to be
\npopular because of the close connection between fasting and food.
\nDiscounts on hampers depends on whether the buyer is a Pasaraya
\ncard member or not.<\/p>\n
In a bid to corner the lucrative market for hampers, major
\nretail chains, including Makro, Pasaraya, Golden Truly and Hero,
\nthink up imaginative and attractive designs and exclusive
\ncontents. Catalogs detailing the various food and non-food
\nhampers, as well as mixed ones on offer for the coming Lebaran
\nseason are mailed well in advance to members and customers.
\nSpecial orders are also accepted.<\/p>\n
Sales peak in the days immediately preceding Idul Fitri.
\nContents of hampers not sold find their way back to the shop
\nshelves, while the baskets themselves are put away until the time
\ncomes next year to grace shop windows once again.<\/p>",
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