Bali gets ready for holiday shopping
Bali gets ready for holiday shopping
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Bali's retailers are counting on a big
jump in year-end shopping compared to the holiday run up last
year.
The rollover from l999 to 2000 will be a great moment in Bali.
Thousands of domestic and foreign visitors are expected to spend
their vacation on the Island of Paradise.
Between December 1999 and January 2000, people around the
world will also celebrate important religious festivals --
Christmas on Dec. 25, 1999, and Idul Fitri on Jan. 8 and Jan. 9,
2000 -- as well as New Year's Day on Jan. 1, 2000.
The Balinese will also observe two important Hindu religious
festivities, Galungan on Jan. 5 and Kuningan on Jan. 15.
The tradition of sending and receiving gifts over Christmas,
New Year, Idul Fitri and other religious festivals has opened a
wide opportunity for retailers -- department stores, shopping
centers and supermarkets -- to offer consumer goods, including
food, beverages, clothes, shoes, bags, toys, household utensils
and electronic appliances.
With pockets filled with Christmas and Idul Fitri bonuses,
consumers are expected to be bowled over by what's on offer.
Bali's shopping centers, department stores and supermarkets
are ready to give extra discounts, holding year-end sales in an
attempt to lure shoppers to their places.
Courts' marketing manager, Pra Fajarrini, said that management
has launched a big discount program for this holiday season.
"We want to give special discounts to our customers to get the
best products at the best prices in our store," said Fajarrini.
Courts is the only department store in Bali which specializes
in selling a wide variety of electronic goods and household
items.
"The year-end sales usually attract a large number of people
here," said the manager.
During this season, Courts reaps between 30 percent and 50
percent more in business transactions.
"Just a simple example, at low season, we sell about 10
television sets, but at this time of the year, the number ups to
about 15," commented Fajarrini.
To attract consumers, Courts has set up two different discount
programs. Courts, which now has 12 outlets in several regencies
in Bali, gives a 40 percent interest discount for consumers who
purchase goods in a credit scheme.
The store also give a surprise discount of 5 percent off all
electronic goods and 10 percent off furniture products between
Dec. 24 and Dec. 31, l999.
"It's hoped that people are willing to come and buy goods sold
at our 12 stores," the manager said.
MA Department Stores, Ramayana, Matahari, Tragia and Hero
Supermarket are also ready to compete in a discount war. Large
banners and decorations are hung in front of these stores to
entice buyers to enjoy discount weeks.
"This discount war is common. We want to sell all the goods in
our storage before the New Year," said a staffer at a supermarket
here.
Smaller and traditional-style shops along Gajah Mada and
Diponegoro in downtown Denpasar, Sanur and Sesetan also provide
special offers selling garments, jewelry and other goods at
bargain prices.
Discounts are not always enough to draw buyers to the stores.
Most stores decorate their places with synthetic Christmas trees,
Santa Claus figures and other Christmas ornaments.
The mood of Christmas and New Year cheers the Hindu-dominated
island of Bali.
But, Courts prefers to use traditional Balinese decorations to
welcome the Galungan and Kuningan religious festivals.
Traditional Balinese theatrical figures like I Dadap, a joker
in Drama Gong (traditional Balinese play) and other
local ornaments are placed in Courts' outlets as promotional
icons.
Ratnawati, public relation manager of the Tiara Group, which
controls Tiara Dewata Department Stores, said that the firm has
widen the choice of goods and prepared attractive gifts to cater
to the needs of consumers for holiday presents.
All in all, department stores, supermarkets and shops in Bali
are ready to make your holiday shopping enjoyable. (zen)