Jakarta Great Sale promotion falls flat in luring shoppers

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The month-long Jakarta Great Sale, held to commemorate Jakarta's 475th anniversary, has failed to boost sales despite the huge discounts.

A number of retail staffpeople in Plaza Senayan, Plaza Indonesia, Ratu Plaza and Pasaraya Grande said that there was no significant increase in the sales during the promotion, set to end on Sunday.

"I can't give you the details of our sales, but based on my observations during the month-long event, there has been no significant increase. It's just business as usual," said, Mujiono, the First Floor manager at Sogo department store in Senayan Plaza on Friday.

Harso, a Sogo employee, added that the event failed to attract shoppers. He blamed the city administration's weak efforts to support the promotion.

"I think it was only a half-hearted attempt from the city administration as there was no significant promotion during the Great Sale," he said.

During the sale period, participating retailers and hotels offer discounts of between 20 percent to 70 percent.

Thirty-three shopping malls and 17 hotels are among those taking part in the promotion, the sixth held in the city.

Boedi Indratama, sales manager at PT Pasaraya Nusakarsa, shared Harso's view, accusing the city administration of only focusing their promotion on the Jakarta Fair (PRJ) in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.

"If we really want to make Jakarta a tourist destination with shopping as one of the interest points, the authorities should help promote retail business among the foreigners," Indratama told The Jakarta Post.

"What we see on television was only a promotion for PRJ. There is no promotion for the sales in other outlets so many people do not know of the Great Sale," he said.

He was disappointed that the city administration did not make serious efforts to promote the event, which was opened by a deputy governor on June 15.

He said that the sales in Pasaraya increased by 15 percent, but only because it had done its own promotion.

Pasaraya has organized a number of cultural events, particularly Betawi cultural shows and traditional performances like gambang kromong music, dances, Sambrah orchestra, lenong theater and even a traditional wedding ceremony.

In Plaza Senayan, a salesgirl at Malandas Home Concept, which offers furniture products, said that there was no difference in turnover during the promotion period compared to the previous months.

"Nothing is different. I don't think many people know about the Jakarta Great Sale promotion," said Farmaya. On the shop window, there is a big notice reading Mid-Year Great Sale June 15-July 15.

Puti, who sells Polo products in Ratu Plaza agreed, saying there was no significant increase of transactions during the promotion period.

In fact, many shoppers were not aware of the Jakarta Great Sale.

"Great Sale? No, I don't know. Many stores offer discounts. So I thought it was just a usual sale," said Amelia, a Pasaraya shopper.

"But I am not that interested in buying products on sale because the price cut usually is not so significant because the prices were raised before they were discounted," she suspected.

In Plaza Indonesia, dozens of women were lining up to get into an outlet which was selling Mango brand clothing at a 50 percent discount. The discount, however, is not part of the Jakarta Great Sale, as the store started the discount for one month beginning on Friday.

"We plan to hold the sale for a month or while the stock lasts. You know that the demand is very high," said one employee.

The Jakarta Chamber of Commerce and Industry earlier expected that the event would produce a turnover of some Rp 3.6 trillion, or a 14 percent increase over last year.