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Slump in traditional markets in HCMC major concern. |
In previous years, customers had to jostle and get tired to enter An Dong Market in District 5, Binh Tay Market in District 6, and Ben Thanh Market in District 1 whereas shoppers find it easy to walk in wide aisles with few people and traders are relaxed even during busiest hours of trading.
Every Saturday and Sunday, the number of visitors visiting and shopping at An Dong market in District 5 increases more than usual, but according to shop assistants and traders, the number of visitors dropped significantly compared to a few years ago. In the cool air-conditioned floors, assistants were seen to gather in small groups of 2-3 people to chat.
This time in previous years, buyers were bustling whereas less than a dozen people on the entire large floor visited and asked prices, said trader Ngoc Hanh who sells fashion clothes at An Dong market. In the area of the second and third floors, dozens of stalls closed and posted rental signs due to sluggish business. Some small businesses said that purchasing power at the stalls decreased by 50 percent-70 percent compared to the prosperous period, some stalls even decreased by more than 80 percent.
District 6-based Binh Tay Market also falls into the same fate where there are more sellers than buyers and is only really vibrant around holidays and the lunar New Year. At noon on a weekend, there are a whole row of candy and food stalls in the area. The market stalls have few buyers, the rest are small traders and assistant staff.
Confectionery trader Ung Thi Lien who has been with the market for more than half a century, moaned about the poor business adding that some days, she earned just a few tens of thousands of Vietnamese dong. She revealed that she has sat in the market to sell sweets for a long time, so no matter how difficult it is, she still tries to hold on.
Many stalls in the market are closed with signs for rent. According to preliminary statistics from the Binh Tay Market Management Board, about 384/2,358 stalls have stopped selling currently , while 294 stalls stopped business in 2019.
Traders of Ben Thanh market in District 1 said that there is an increase in the number of visitors and eaters in comparison to the same period last year, but the value of shopping orders is not equal to the time before the Covid-19 epidemic.
Responsible agencies are worried about the prospects of a slump in business in traditional markets. Amid the difficult situation, the management boards have given traders at the above-mentioned traditional markets compliment as many of them have proactively shifted their business online in parallel with direct sales and door-to-door delivery.
Trader Lan Anh at Ben Thanh market said that more customers especially those in Australia, Canada, and America are interested in online trading; she regularly delivered specialties such as candies, fruits, and dried fruits of all kinds to customers in faraway districts or overseas Vietnamese.
Market management boards also lend traders in traditional markets a helping hand. Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Ha, Deputy Head of the Management Board of An Dong Trade and Service Center, said that the District 5 Economic Department has organized many training sessions for traders to apply sales information technology on TikTok, Zalo, Facebook, and live stream. In addition, the market management board contacts YouTubers with large views to film a clip introducing the entire market and share it directly on their channel. After that, many customers came to visit and shop.
Similarly, the Ben Thanh Market Management Board said that it regularly mobilizes small businesses to join in promotion programs launched by the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City, with discounts ranging from 5 percent - 30 percent to stimulate shopping demand. In addition, traders at the market also apply non-cash payments via QR codes and payments via POS machines which is quite convenient. The diverse payment methods and promotions have contributed to increasing the number of shoppers.
Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Que Phuong, Head of the Binh Tay Market Management Board, said that the management board always accompanies small businesses in innovating, improving service quality, and increasing sales. Additionally, they have been applying information technology to sales online, the market management board has introduced to domestic and foreign tourists typical souvenir gift products such as fashionable cloth bags, tea sets, and glass cups printed or engraved with the Binh Tay market logo.
Currently, District 6 has a project to develop night tourism to bring many new experiences to tourists with typical dishes of the Cho Lon area, in which the Binh Tay market plays a central role. The Cho Lon Night Street project is expected to be held on the streets surrounding Binh Tay market, operating from 6:00 p.m. daily on the sidewalks of 4 streets including Nguyen Huu Than, Thap Muoi, Le Tan Ke, Tran Binh with 8 areas selling typical Chinese food and drink, fashion, souvenirs, technology items.
Currently, the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City as well as the Department of Tourism have plans to make traditional markets including An Dong, and Binh Tay become tourist destinations that holiday-makers can visit on their tour to the southern metropolis. Accordingly, traditional markets need to create unique, memorable features to attract customers. At the same time, the service attitude towards guests is very important. Above all, tourism experts recommend that welcoming guests at traditional markets require stability and sustainability.
