Brands offer large discounts to attract Eid revellers

Discount is an attractive word the shoppers love to hear during a festival!

Unlike other Eid festivals, popular fashion brands are offering generous discounts on their sales this Eid in their attempt to mitigate losses inflicted by Covid-19 pandemic.

Shoppers’ long-held arrows of blame that sellers do not offer discounts during the two Eid festivals, will misfire this time, brand managers said.

To attract swarms of festival revellers, brands did not take time to calibrate strategies.

LEND, a popular clothing brand is offering 20 percent flat discount on their Eid sales while Gentle Park threw 30 percent, RISE 12 percent and Atr 51 percent discounts, respectively.

“We offered the discount in May to clear our outlets so that we can showcase new exclusive designs ahead of Eid but due to an expanded lockdown we are continuing the deal,” said Shahariar Moon, a Manager of LEND.

As the Covid-19 inflicted lockdown stretched beyond policymakers’ projection, many lost jobs and some got their salary trimmed, traders said.

“During this long period of lockdown, people lost their normal buying capacity and investments turned risky. To cope with the situation we are offering a 12 percent discount on our products,” said Head of Marketing of RISE, Syed Helal Hossain.

“We are trying to survive the pandemic impact,” he told Business Insider Bangladesh.

He said: “If you visit our outlets, you will see the actual scenario. A very few shoppers are buying products. Most of the customers have left Dhaka for their village homes.”

Another Marketing Manager, Sam Khan of Gentle Park, agreed.

“We don’t have any option but to offer discounts, at this point,” he said.

After a 14-day strict lockdown, on Thursday the government relaxed the shutdown for the convenience of Eid-ul-Azha revellers. This leniency will also facilitate the businesses.

Traders said the fashion industry has lost four consecutive business seasons in the last two years, resulting in worrisome losses.