Mumbai: We stood by you; now it is your turn, say shopkeepers ahead of Diwali

Shopkeepers want people to come and shop at their establishments such as at this fireworks shop in Goregaon. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

After two years of the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, this year people are going all out to celebrate Diwali. But many people have been shopping only online and small shopkeepers claim this is affecting them. They say the entire chain of small shopkeepers, suppliers and manufacturers are facing this issue as they are dependent on each other, and losing their business due to online shopping. They want people to come to their stores and shop to help them.

To support shopkeepers, retailers and small businesses, traders' organisations will promote ‘Vocal for Local' for Diwali shopping. Their associations have also pasted stickers outside local shops appealing to people to shop only at these shops near their residence. They are also using WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram to promote this digitally to support local shopkeepers.

Haren Mehta, secretary of the Federation of Mumbai Retail Cloth Dealer's Association said, "During Covid-19 it is local shops that helped people with ration and other needs. The grocery shops also functioned. Local shopkeepers even worked from 8 am to 4 pm as per restrictions. You can trust local shopkeepers. Hence we created a campaign to appeal to people to shop only from local shops."

Store owners want to see crowds at their establishments like here at Malad. Pic/Anurag Ahire

"We are circulating this message to our traders' groups, friends and family groups. During Navratri people took donations from these shopkeepers and none of the online companies gave any donations. If online companies don't make any donations for Navratri then why do people shop from them? Support your local shopkeepers and they will get business," he added.

Also Read: Diwali 2022: Mumbai Police bans fireworks near oil and fuel companies

‘Want them back in markets'

Mitesh Modi, president of All India Electronics Association said, "At Lamington Road alone there are around 1,200 shops but most people shop only online. With this message of Vocal for Local, we are trying to get people back into markets. I request people to purchase only from their local shops. In online shopping many a times customers get refurbished materials. Many online companies also use old stock, refurbish it and sell it at a cheapest rate online. Customers don't know this and many times get substandard materials."

‘All that's new and in demand'

"Shopkeepers always purchase stock which is new and in demand in the market. Shopkeepers have knowledge about products that will sell. In online shopping many times registered companies shut down suddenly and most of them also don't have GST accounts. During the pandemic only these small shopkeepers helped citizens. Many people lost their business and many did not get salaries. Many shopkeepers and grocery shops gave groceries and goods to people on loan because of this. This will never happen in online business," he added.