Tet flowers are deserted, traders are anxious and worried about being "idle"

There are less than 10 days left until the traditional Tet holiday, but the buying and selling atmosphere at Tet flower shops is still quiet, with traders worried about unsold goods and sluggish sales.

Hoa Tết đìu hiu, tiểu thương nóng ruột lo cảnh 'ngồi không' - Ảnh 1. — Worried about sluggish sales, many retailers said they have adjusted and reduced the amount of goods imported for Tet this year - Photo: NHAT XUAN

Sharing with Tuoi Tre Online , Mr. Pham Phu Quy, a merchant who specializes in importing flowers from Da Lat to sell at 23/9 Park (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City), said that in previous years, he usually imported up to 2,000 branches of Phalaenopsis orchids to sell during Tet. However, this year he only imported a small amount, initially bringing in about 900 branches to test the purchasing power, then deciding to continue. "Honestly, I'm also worried about sitting around doing nothing," Mr. Quy shared.

In another corner of September 23 Park, Mr. Trong Trinh (residing in Thai Binh) said that the amount of peach blossoms this year has decreased sharply due to the impact of storm Yagi and erratic weather in the North.

"The number of peaches has decreased by 30-40%, causing the price of peaches to increase by 10-15%. Peaches are expensive but purchasing power is weak. I'm worried I won't be able to sell them," Mr. Trinh said worriedly.

At Ho Thi Ky flower market (District 10), the atmosphere is also much quieter than in previous years. Ms. Tuyet Mai - a trader at the market - lamented that current purchasing power is only 70% compared to the time before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Similarly, Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Loan, another small trader, also said in disappointment: "In the past, we sold dozens of flower packages every day, but now it takes dozens of days to sell one package. We are now living on the profits from previous years of booming business."

Tiểu thương hoa Tết nóng ruột lo cảnh 'ngồi không' - Ảnh 2. — Flower market deserted amid peak Tet shopping season - Photo: NHAT XUAN

Hoa Tết đìu hiu, tiểu thương nóng ruột lo cảnh 'ngồi không' - Ảnh 3. — Fresh flowers of all colors cover the stalls, contrasting with the quiet atmosphere at the market - Photo: NHAT XUAN

Having worked at the Ho Thi Ky flower market for more than 30 years, Ms. Dieu Hoa Bich Phuong could not hide her sadness. "In previous years, the flower market was bustling from morning to night, but this year there are few buyers, it's so sad," she said, pointing to the row of flower stalls still full of deserted goods next to her.

Mr. Pham Hoang Thai Duong, CEO of the Hoa Yeu Thuong store chain, predicted that this year the Tet flower market will be extremely gloomy, with purchasing power expected to reach only about 50% compared to last year. He advised gardeners and retailers to be flexible with prices and avoid holding goods for too long to minimize risks.

Traders shared their hope that the situation will improve after December 25, when people start to have a day off, receive Tet bonuses, and prepare for Tet.

Find ways to sell more flowers online

Business at the market is difficult , Ms. Huynh Nhu Ngoc, owner of Ngoc Nhien flower shop at Ho Thi Ky market (HCMC), said that this year her flower shop has implemented many incentive programs and support policies to attract customers to order flowers online.

Accordingly, these programs include free shipping on large orders, a 1-to-1 return policy if flowers are damaged during delivery, and detailed instructions on how to care for flowers to ensure long-lasting freshness.

According to Ms. Ngoc, these policies have helped the number of online orders at the flower shop increase by about 30%. Customers not only place retail orders but also have many large orders from companies and flower shops.