Covid-19 restrictions hit rainwear retail in Mumbai

Heavy rainfall hit the city towards the end of May. File pic

The weather has opened a window of hope for manufacturers and retailers of rainwear in the city, unbearable humidity and the few teasing drizzles signalling it may rain soon. Yet, with lockdown affecting business everywhere, shopkeepers are praying that it rains hard and incessantly so that consumers do step in, even during partial lockdown and restricted mobility to buy rainwear.

A necessity

Rain gear manufacturer Narendra Shah said, "Rainwear is part of the basket of business that has been badly hit. Essentials, non-essentials have been affected. Several retailers have leftover stock from last year, even though we had a robust rainy spell, because of lockdown. Now, that same stock will be sold but we can only hope some ease comes in so that there is more mobility and monsoon gear moves off the shelves. For commuters, especially those on outdoor assignments, rainwear is a necessity, not a luxury, so they will go out to buy it, even if that means going to the store at 8 am. Yet, with work from home prevailing, that segment like some others, is certainly lesser."

Dadar West rainwear retailer Jayesh Gala believes confusion is compounding existing hardship. "On Friday, authorities ordered a rainwear store to down shutters going by alternate days opening allowed for non-essential stores. When it was pointed out that rainwear comes under essentials as mandated by the state government, they claimed they had no idea about the rule."

Sachin Savla, manager of a South Mumbai store

Gala said that retailers are hoping the umbrellas move at the usual steady clip. "Raincoats are more of a school wear buy and with schools and colleges not opening soon, that section of consumers is at zilch. We have to make the best of the time window we have," he added.

Hope reigns

Last year, too, the city was reeling from the first lockdown and the, "main business month which is June, saw hardly any sales. People usually buy rain apparel and shoes in June itself; they do not wait till August even though we see rains till October at times. The mindset prevails. Two months into monsoon, people think why buy rain gear now? Let me wait for the next season," said manufacturer Durgesh Chheda.

Chheda recalled that pre-pandemic, rain retail business was like a river in spate in June, "today, even within these limitations we hope that if it starts raining regularly in a few days, we will see some uptick in demand. The ubiquitous black umbrellas are always in demand, even post June. Bikers go for the rain trousers and jackets, and women too, now opt for rainwear like trousers and jackets which we started making specifically for them, two years ago."

Though it is certainly not raining profits, "we have to be upbeat. I think raincoats too, may move off the shelves, there will be some people who need rainwear for two-wheelers even for short commutes," said Chheda, adding, "Raincoats are not changed very frequently as these are not trendy buys so designs or patterns do not change very often, though of course stylish rain jackets, do sell now. Yet, it is common to go for the functional rather than fashionable, so if rain gear is hardy, people do not buy another piece, unlike say a garment. Rainwear falls in protective buys not fashion buys."

In a big South Mumbai department store, "rainwear sales are at 50 per cent of what we see in the beginning of June," said manager Sachin Savla, who added they have some last year stock too, so they need not order more.

"We witnessed some buying from those who have to go to work as they are in government jobs. Yet, with uncertainty prevailing and salary cuts, that ‘impulsive rain buy' like a pair of rain shoes in a show window, which were bought simply because the design appealed, is out," signed off Savla.