Small traders selling Tet decorations on Hang Ma Street complain about difficulties despite the busy traffic.

Few buyers, many check in

Walking around Hang Ma Street (Hoan Kiem, Hanoi), one cannot help but feel excited because of the bustling atmosphere and crowds of people from many places. However, the vendors here said that this year, the number of customers has decreased, and it is no longer as popular as before.

Looking at her stall that has been open for nearly half a month but has not seen much improvement, Ms. Do Ngoc Anh (43 years old) - a small trader on Hang Ma Street - lamented: "Previously, we only waited for Tet to make up for our losses during the year, but this year's purchasing power is sluggish, and goods are moving slowly. Part of the traditional form of selling is also affected because Tet decorations are now being sold in a variety of ways on e-commerce platforms."

Ms. Hoang Truong Mai (39 years old) - a merchant on Hang Ma Street - said that the bustling and crowded Hang Ma Street does not necessarily mean that the shops are popular. In fact, many people come not to buy Tet items but for other purposes such as going out, taking photos, etc. Many shops require customers to buy before taking photos, so customers reluctantly buy one or two cheap items.

Promote handicrafts, combine online sales

Despite the difficulties, many small businesses have used various methods to attract customers. Many stores hang their products on high tree branches, or even stand in front of their stores to advertise. Although the number of customers has decreased, many stores still try to import a variety of designs to attract customers.

Vendors hang their products on trees for easy viewing by buyers. Photo: Minh Thao. — Vendors hang their products on trees for easy viewing by buyers. Photo: Minh Thao

Mr. Dao Quang Sau (54 years old) - a merchant on Hang Ma Street - said - although he sold few products and had a lot of inventory, he still had to "struggle" to import new designs so that customers would have more choices. The store saved on import costs by making handmade bamboo and rattan products.

“In addition, many small businesses are willing to decorate large sets themselves to serve cafes, restaurants or companies to buy for Tet decoration. The price of a decorated set ranges from 5-8 million VND depending on the material and size requested by the customer. This new form has also partly saved the revenue of some stores,” said Mr. Sau.

According to many vendors in Hang Ma, the best-selling Tet decoration product this year is peach blossom branches. At the same time, decorations are "transformed" in a variety of ways to suit customers' tastes. Photo: Minh Thao.

Demand is low but supply is abundant, customers are scarce but the number of sellers is increasing, making difficulties pile up. In addition to selling directly at stores, many small traders have combined business on e-commerce platforms to increase competitiveness.

Sharing about the competition for buyers between the two forms of sales, Mr. Dao Quang Sau affirmed that the stores on Hang Ma were also affected, but in general, people still went out to the streets to sightsee and buy more. "Partly because of the Vietnamese custom of shopping for Tet, partly because buying online still has many shortcomings. At the store, customers can touch and see with their own eyes, and if the product is damaged, they can exchange it, but online everything becomes more difficult," said Mr. Sau.

With nearly a month to go until Lunar New Year 2024, many shop owners hope that with diverse designs and low prices, the number of customers will increase near Tet.

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