Gift package business drops<\/p>\n
Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya<\/p>\n
Eva Ayunda, the owner of a gift package business in Surabaya, is
\nworried. She has been in business for five years, but the last
\ntwo years have been tough.<\/p>\n
Business was slow last year after President Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono instructed all governments officials not to give or
\naccept gift packages, for fear of creating the impression of
\nconflicts of interest. Her earnings last Ramadhan dropped to Rp
\n20 million, much less than the Rp 30 million she made the
\nprevious year.<\/p>\n
This year, business has been slow since the government raised
\nfuel prices on Oct. 1 by an average of 126 percent.<\/p>\n
She has sold only about six packages a day over the last
\ncouple of days, while last year she was selling close to 20
\npackages every day.<\/p>\n
Another woman in the gift package business, Ita, is also
\nconcerned. Many of her clients, mostly insurance companies and
\nbanks, stopped their orders after fuel prices went up. She
\nreceived 150 orders last Ramadhan, but this year her orders are
\ndown by 70 percent.<\/p>\n
However, a florist and gift package provider company,
\nTiffany's Indonesia, is confident there is money to be made in
\nthe business.<\/p>\n
After opening branches in several cities across the country,
\nthe Jakarta-based company just opened a branch in Surabaya.
\nDarma, a Tiffany's Indonesia employee, said the company planned
\nto dominate the gift package business in Surabaya.<\/p>\n
The company offers high quality items in its gift packages,
\nsuch as ceramics and kitchen utensils imported from the Czech
\nRepublic. It also offers gifts made by the renowned wood carvers
\nof Jepara.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gift-package-business-drops-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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