Garment traders expect big sales<\/p>\n
Emmy Fitri and Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
As the countdown to the Idul Fitri begins, demand for Muslim
\napparel and accessories has increased by 50 percent at the retail
\nlevel and by 60 percent at the wholesale level at the Tanah Abang
\nmarket in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Several retailers and wholesalers said on Monday that a sales
\nhike was likely in the one or two weeks prior to the Idul Fitri.<\/p>\n
However, the increase may not exceed last year's, as large-
\nscale buyers from other regions reverse their decisions to buy
\nstock due to numerous incidents of flooding and landslides in
\nseveral areas in Central Java and the decline in customers'
\npurchasing power, according to Ina, 55, one of the Muslim apparel
\nwholesalers.<\/p>\n
At the retail level, a price hike, ranging up to 10 percent,
\nwould likely be imposed two weeks before Idul Fitri, when the
\ndemand would reach its peak.<\/p>\n
\"The increase, usually 10 percent, might be imposed two weeks
\nbefore the Idul Fitri, as shoppers start to get caught up in
\nbuying new clothes for their children or just for gifts\", said
\nTanuwirya, 37, a retailer of Muslim accessories.<\/p>\n
The Muslim clothes and accessories that are in highest demand
\ninclude those for children, the baju koko (Muslim shirt for men),
\nmukena (ladies' cloak worn at prayer), sarong, sajada (praying
\nmat), and jilbab (veil).<\/p>\n
Separately, in several markets retail traders are witnessing
\nsluggish sales of Muslim wear and other garment products compared
\nto the previous year, when even before the Ramadhan sales had
\nrisen significantly.<\/p>\n
The traders, however, expected sales to jack up around a week
\nbefore the end of Ramadhan.<\/p>\n
\"I don't expect many sales during these days as people will
\nflock to the clothes market and buy clothes only for Idul Fitri
\nand not for the fasting month,\" said M. Sabar, a trader at the
\nMayestik market in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He observed that, for the fasting month, people would spend
\nmore of their money on meals than on clothes.<\/p>\n
In his shop, the Sabar Jaya Busana, children's Muslim clothing
\nhad been selling fairly well before Ramadhan, and he had been
\nable to sell about 20 items of the clothing, priced at between Rp
\n35,000 and Rp 75,000 each, in the week before the fasting month.<\/p>\n
\"That's good because we can sell up to 20 pieces (of
\nchildren's wear) in a week,\" Sabar told The Jakarta Post on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
Retail traders like Sabar shop for their stock at the
\nwholesale market in Mangga Dua or Tanah Abang and then sell the
\nmerchandise at prices that carry a mark up of between Rp 2,000
\nand Rp 5,000.<\/p>\n
Sabar said he only planned to shop for new stock later, in the
\nmiddle of Ramadhan, as he first needed to study the trends and
\nthe buying power of his customers.<\/p>\n
In Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta, although the ground floor of
\nthe three-story market was packed, only a few customers were
\nseriously shopping for clothes at about noon on Sunday. Most of
\nthem were only window shopping.<\/p>\n
\"Here people like to shop for fruit, vegetables or food
\nsupplies like rice, ketan (gluten rice) and sugar,\" Pujiati, a
\nshop keeper said.<\/p>\n
\"I've been serving at this shop since 9 a.m., but none of them
\nbuy our things. They are all just looking or passing by,\" she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
She expected that sales of clothes and Muslim wear would
\nincrease a few days before the end of Ramadhan.<\/p>\n
But she added that only children's Muslim clothing was likely
\nto sell well.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/garment-traders-expect-big-sales-1447893297",
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