Mobile shops: Another option for people to get daily needs

By Stevie Emilia

JAKARTA (JP): The city's notorious traffic compels many to leave home very early in the morning to get to work on time.

People don't always have enough time to eat breakfast or buy their daily needs, while shopping during office hours is often also made difficult by heavy traffic.

Some people with a shrewd business sense see this situation as an opportunity to make money. They run mobile kiosks, selling basic commodities such as food, groceries and clothing to the city's busy workforce.

Ita, a law school graduate, is one trying her luck by running a grocery store in her modified minibus as stall, almost similar to the Moko mobile store introduced few years ago by the local government.

Goods such as various brands of cooking oil, eggs, sugar, bread, butter, sardines, soap, toothpaste, shampoo, washing powder, soft drinks, cigarettes, tissues and rice are all for sale at her stall in Monas (National Monument) park, Central Jakarta.

Prices are reasonable. A kilogram of eggs is offered for Rp 8,500, while a pack of Dunhill cigarettes is sold for Rp 3,700.

"I started selling grocery in December, a week before the fasting month of Ramadhan," said 27-year-old Ita.

She once offered a range of cooked food, such as fried rice and steamed rice with side dishes, to Jakartans who packed the area on weekends.

But after her two maids returned to their hometown, with no plans to come back again, she decided to switch to groceries.

Since last week, she has opened her stall every day, instead of Saturdays and Sundays only.

"Now I don't need the assistance of my maids and I can serve customers myself," said Ita. Her brothers and sisters helped her buy and modify the minibus after she failed to find employment when she graduated in 1997.

Ita is definitely not the only trader in the area. She said some people started running similar stalls long before she did. "But most of them open only on weekends."

She admitted that during the week, she only has a few customers, passersby or people working in offices around the monument.

But she also has some regular customers, who give her lists of groceries they need.

"I don't know whether I will continue to run my business on working days. It depends on the consumers' response," said Ita, who received plenty of orders from customers prior to the Idul Fitri celebrations.

In running the business, she does everything herself, from buying the merchandise in traditional markets to driving her van to Monas.

"My profit is not that big but I can save some money. And the most important thing for me is that I'm not a burden to my family in the difficult situation now," she said.

Alternative

Many people have started to turn to such mobile stores for their daily needs.

Rahmi, a city administration employee, said she liked shopping in these stalls because it was convenient.

"We can't go to a supermarket every time we run out of soap or shampoo. It takes a lot of time. This store is close to my office and not so crowded, so I just stop my car in front of it and get what I need," said Rahmi as she bought a loaf of bread at Ita's stall.

There are many other places in the capital with similar mobile stores, such as the Bintaro Jaya housing complex in South Jakarta, in commercial areas, such as in Blok M, also in South Jakarta, or in the Senayan sports complex in Central Jakarta.

"It's cheaper than renting a stall here," explained Rodiyah, who runs a mobile store in Blok M market. She said she just has to pay locals for cleaning the street and for security.

In her small stall, she offers children's and women's clothing at relatively low prices. A miniskirt, for instance, is priced at Rp 20,000, while a child's shirt costs Rp 10,000.

Rodiyah uses an unmodified Kijang van, rented from a relative, for the business she started with her husband in July last year, after her husband lost his job as a mechanic.

Most of the merchandise is still in boxes, and some things are hung outside the car on plastic rope.

"A week before Idul Fitri (Jan. 19-20), I could make a profit of at least Rp 150,000 a day, but these days business is slow. I would be lucky to sell two pieces of clothing a day," said the mother of four.

Not all the mobile store vendors come from the low income bracket.

Sonny, not his real name, is a marketing employee. He sells imported t-shirts, jeans, sneakers and women's shoes from his Kijang van at the Senayan sports complex.

Unlike other vendors, who yell out to sell their wares, he neatly arranges all his merchandise on the van. Each pair of shoes is still shining in its box.

"My wife sets up all the stuff for me," said the father of two.

His shop attracts mostly teenagers interested in quality goods offered at relatively low prices.

A black shirt with a well known label, for instance, is offered at Rp 35,000, while a pair of jeans of the same brand is sold for Rp 100,000. At a shopping mall, these jeans cost several hundred thousand rupiah.

"All my items are original. I got them from a friend abroad," claimed Sonny. "I can sell at low prices because I pay no tax or rent space in U.S. dollar," he added

Earlier, Sonny ran his business only on Sunday mornings, when the sports complex is usually packed with joggers.

But since many celebrities started running street cafes in the East Senayan parking area, he has come every day after finishing work at 4 p.m.

"How much do you think one earns as a marketing employee? During the crisis, my salary is no longer enough. I have to use every possible opportunity to make more money," Sonny said.

"I use my car because I can take it anywhere, whenever I like," he said.

He pays Rp 2,500 a day on week days and Rp 5,000 a day on the weekend for cleaning and security.

"Most people don't come here only to eat, but they also want to enjoy themselves and look around. They're my targets," said Sonny.

These days, he cannot run his stall every day as he once did. "If I think it will rain, I go straight home (from the office)... it's useless (to do business) as most people are reluctant to go out in the rain," Sonny said.

Still, he loves Sundays most. "On Sundays, if it doesn't rain, I can bring home at least Rp 200,000 in profit," Sonny said.