Jakarta Great Sale ignored due to World Cup fever

Jakarta Great Sale ignored due to World Cup fever

Leo Wahyudi S, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The annual 2002 Jakarta Great Sale has not been able to lure many
visitors despite the tempting offer of discounts of up to 70
percent. Many found that the event had nothing new to offer but
others pointed to the ongoing 2002 soccer World Cup in South
Korea and Japan as a reason for lack of interest.

"Since the event began on May 31, fewer and fewer consumers
have come to shop," said Neni, a shop assistant at Sarinah
department store on Jl. M.H. Thamrin, Central Jakarta.

"Most of our goods on offer are men's clothes but most men in
the city were busy watching the soccer," she said.

However, Sarinah Promotion Manager, Bowo Susanto, claimed that
the department store had experienced an increase in revenue of
between 10 percent and 20 percent since the Great Sale began on
June 14.

"We still have to monitor further the total sales to get the
exact figures and the impact of the discounts," he said.

Fewer people were seen walking or window-shopping at Sarinah
and Plaza Indonesia, including at Sogo department store, located
at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle during the World Cup match
featuring Brazil against England, which was won by Brazil 2-1, on
Friday.

Instead, food courts, cafes and electronics counters were
full, with people gathering in front of television sets
broadcasting the match live.

Some visitors did not find anything special on offer at the
Great Sale.

"I think there's nothing very special offered for us as
customers," a visitor said at the Sogo department store.

Most visitors at both shopping malls were employees from
nearby offices along the street. Most of them came only to have
lunch and buy groceries.

Ade, a store supervisor at Sogo, admitted that the store had
yet to record a significant increase in customers.

"But the figure is slightly higher during the weekends," she
said.

The Great Sale organizing committee has tried to attract more
buyers by placing advertisements in the print media and
promotional banners decorating the counters and aisles.

The event, which will end on July 14, is staged in conjunction
with the city's 475th anniversary. Thirty-three shopping malls,
16 retail outlets and 17 hotels across Jakarta have joined the
Great Sale.

The organizers themselves expressed hopes to book a total
turnover of about Rp 3.6 trillion (US$417.4 million), a 14
percent increase from last year's revenue.