Tex Talk

Discount mela begins

P S Sundar

The discount mela has started for the retail textile business in the country. This is much more evident in Tamil Nadu for it is linked with Tamil month ‘Aadi’ and will go on till ‘Pongal’ in one form or the other. It is hard to miss the notice of such discounts in Tamil Nadu because the households are hit with the news from all imaginable corners including the neighbours’ personal experience. The purchase pattern of the people is also oriented to the discount period of the festival season. In Tamil Nadu, ‘Aadi’ is regarded as an unholy month when people do not do auspicious functions. But, since functions will follow, people will buy new clothes. So, the textile retailers are shrewd to foster their business with catch offers and appealing advertisements. Of course, the underlying message is ‘discount’ - the one and the only mantra that seems to do tricks with the consumers in this country. In the past, only small shops used to announce discounts to woo the customers during Aadi, Diwali, Christmas, Ramzan and Pongal. But, of late, even the retail majors are adopting the technique. Once the majors step into the fray, things are no longer the same. For, they begin the ‘Aadi’ discount almost a month before the commencement of Aadi. This year, Aadi month is from July 17 to August 16. But, some major retailers have started the Aadi discount sale from June 15 itself.

Some well known brands are also professed in the discount sale to woo the Aadi customers. Amarson ‘Digjam’ dressing world in Coimbatore, for instance, has announced 25 per cent discount for Aadi. In most cases, the discounts are announced up to 50 per cent. The advertisements and the bill boards in front of the shops carry 50 per cent in big bold letters and the term ‘up to’ in small types to leave an impression that the discounts are worth 50 per cent.

There are several other forms through which the customers are wooed for the Aadi purchase. Amarson Digjam, for instance, announces ‘All credit cards accepted. Open on Sundays also.’ The Chennai Silks offers five per cent cash back on ICICI credit cards used to buy there. Even smaller showrooms like Sri Kanchi Kamatshi Silk in Coimbatore, takes credit cards and works on all days a week after offering 15 to 50 per cent discounts. Societies from Kanchipuram selling silk sarees have announced to exchange good sarees for the old ones.

The discounts have appeared through mobile and temporary sales as well. Traders have hired kalayana mandaps, halls and hotel conference centres in different places wherein they have displayed sarees, readymade shirts and pants, dhotis, blouse materials, chudidars etc - all at considerable discount. There are huge advertisements displaying the prices before and after the discount to woo the customers. Vendors carrying such items on head and go to houses for sale are also seen giving such discounts. Many textile merchants told this columnist that if they do not give Aadi discount a month ahead, they would lose business because, even majors are surviving on discounts. But, how genuine are such discounts? “We admit that there has to be some adjustment somewhere, but discounts are discounts,” said a trader in Coimbatore. The usual pattern is to keep the price rather high before the Aadi sale and then, bring it down to normal levels through discounts. But, traders justify this because, the peak purchase season cannot be missed. And, the people are definitely waiting for the discount mela to begin. So, discount mela satisfies the interest of both the sellers and the buyers.