Traditional markets are experiencing slow business.

(Baonghean.vn) - During the year-end clearance sale, many stores in Vinh City are competing to offer discounts, while the trend of online shopping is causing concern among small traders in the markets due to sluggish sales..

A readily apparent reality in traditional markets today is the scarcity of customers and sluggish sales. Even in winter, many vendors sit around waiting for customers. As soon as a customer is spotted, stalls eagerly approach, even if the customer isn't necessarily interested in buying and is just passing by.

The biggest Black Friday sales and end-of-season clearance sales have further hampered markets, as large crowds flocked to hunt for discounted goods from major brands.

Many stalls selling shoes and handbags are experiencing slow sales at Vinh Train Station Market. Photo: Thanh Tam.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Dung, a clothing vendor on the second floor of Vinh Train Station Market for many years, said: "Business at the market has low sales volume, mainly catering to ordinary customers. We only restock as needed, making a profit of 20-30 thousand dong per item. We know there's a big sale going on, so we don't have high hopes for these days, but we still hope for customers with lower incomes. That being said, discounted items at other stalls are still several times more expensive than what we sell."

Tran Van Sy, the owner of a men's clothing store on the second floor of Vinh Train Station Market, said: "In the past few days, some fashion stores have been holding Black Friday sales, so the number of young customers coming to the market to buy clothes has decreased significantly. Moreover, customers are now also buying and selling online, so we don't know how to cope."

Ms. Nga, the owner of a shoe store at Quang Trung Market, said: “I sat there all morning but only sold a few pairs of shoes. Business at the market is very difficult now; the goods are damp, and very few people go to the market to buy things because they usually buy online from home or visit shops on the streets for convenience. We are very worried because we lose money on stall rentals and taxes… it’s hard to compete with online businesses.”

However, Mr. Hien, 50 years old, from Dong Vinh ward, who came to buy clothes, said: “I often go to Ga Market to buy clothes because I find the prices here reasonable. A pair of khaki pants only costs 200-300 thousand dong; while in clothing shops on the street, the prices are usually listed at 700-800 thousand dong, and even with discounts, it's still much more expensive than at the market, and I don't know if the quality is any better. It's best to go to a familiar place at the market for convenience.”

Despite it being the weekend, the markets were sparsely populated with customers. Photo: Thanh Tam

Furthermore, it should also be noted that customers are turning away from the markets due to the vendors' sales practices. Unclear price listings, exorbitant bargaining ("ask for the full price, then negotiate half"), aggressive sales tactics, and a lack of respect for business ethics in some markets discourage many people from shopping there.

Furthermore, high kiosk prices and continuously increasing taxes and fees pose a challenge for traditional markets, as product prices have to include these costs. Meanwhile, goods sold online are tax-free and sourced directly from the manufacturer.

Based on customer purchasing trends, small traders in traditional markets also need to innovate their sales methods and find solutions to attract customers, adhering to the principle that "the customer is king".

Thanh Tam