Residents may be happy shopping round the year these days, but come spring and they still await Chaitra sale.
“Chaitra sale isn’t as significant in Salt Lake as it is in Hatibagan or Gariahat, but since customers know this is the discount month, we feel obliged to offer cuts on all items —even hankies and socks,” says Tamosha Mukherjee Roy of CK Market. She sells everything from saris and kurtis to branded wear like Manyavar, Van Heusen, Jockey, and Enamor through her stores Sri Ramkrishna Ashish and Srimaa.
So they are offering 10 per cent discount on fresh stock and up to 30 per cent off on older inventory. The latter comprises items that have gone out of fashion or designs discontinued by manufacturers, which are sold at reduced prices to clear stock. “Salt Lake customers get bored very easily and reject designs that are even a year old, so we need to clear old stock during Chaitra,” Tamosha explains.
Tantuja, the state government’s handloom enterprise near City Centre, is offering 40 and 50 per cent off on tangail, jamdani, silk saris, and other items. “During the Pujas, we only offer discounts of 20 to 25 per cent,” says Satyen Bera of the store. “Fresh stocks arrive four months before the Pujas, so Chaitra is the time to offer big discounts and clear out stock that has piled up over the past year,” he adds.
Hotter the better
While many complain about the heat, stores are thriving. “Not only is our store air-conditioned, but it is also spacious, so ladies are coming in and spending hours browsing saris,” says the Tantuja staffer.
Others are capitalising on online sales. “I’d say the online-to-offline sales ratio has now reached 60:40. Customers watch our Facebook and YouTube live sessions and place orders over the phone,” says Bibi Samanta of CG Block’s Blooming Tales boutique. “With rising temperatures, there’s great demand for breathable and light fabrics like cotton, linen, and muslin.”
Sarmistha Sen Das, who runs Bikikini Boutique online as well as from CA Block in New Town, notes a surge in demand for mul (mulmul) cotton fabric. “It’s flying off the shelves when teamed with designer blouses and junk jewellery. Comfortable coords — matching sets of tops with palazzos, harem pants or dhoti pants — are all people want in this heat,” she says.
Youths and even middle-aged residents with active social lives refuse to repeat outfits after posting pictures on social media. “But of course, they prefer affordable options, and so the current discounts are great for them,” she adds. “Apart from a 10 per cent Chaitra discount, we are gifting accessories with purchases round the year,” adds Sen Das.
Tamosha claims that the heat has led to increased demand for clothes, especially innerwear — a segment she also caters to. “In winter, you can wear the same outfit for two days in a row. But in summer, you sweat so much that you need to change every time you return home. If you go out thrice a day, you’ll need three sets of clothes,” she explains.
To beat the hassle of travelling to the store in the heat, her customers are seeing pictures of items over the phone and sending her a shortlist. “A rickshawwallah takes them over and they can try them out in the comfort of their air-conditioned rooms and keep what they like,” Tamosha adds.
Reviving fortunes
The last big window for sale, Durga puja 2024, was a massive dampener that cannot be compensated for. Meghna recalls how many customers came window-shopping last October but refrained from purchasing due to the issue at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital.
“The losses from that period are irreparable,” asserts Bibi Samanta — a sentiment echoed by others.
“Sales never really picked up after that,” says Tamosha. “It got cold early last year — in November — but with exams ongoing, mothers didn’t come out to shop. By the time exams ended, temperatures rose again, leaving no need for woollens. It’s been a lean period until April and we’re grateful sales are finally picking up now.”