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Caught between ever increasing demand and limited resources, the middle and lower-middle class people's rush to the footpaths stores continued this time around to collect needful Eid shopping items.
On the other hand, the up-market shopping malls boasting huge stocks of 'imported' and 'exclusive' fashion wears and accessories were found to be the favoured destinations of the affluent people for whom the 'price factor' hardly matters.
As the Eid shopping started to gather momentum during the last few days, foreign-made apparels were seen to dominate over the locally produced ones in most of the city markets.
The traders of both footpaths and shopping complexes are expecting a robust sale and profit this year as the customers are coming in greater numbers to satiate the Eid buying binge, traders said.
Although most of the buyers are still largely 'window shopping' at the up-market shopping malls, the traders said that the sales would gather greater pace after 20th Ramadan, when most people will get their festival allowances.
"We have no special preference for particular shopping complexes as long as the dresses we buy are of good quality," said a customer at the city's Purana Paltan area.
He added: "We can conduct our entire family shopping through buying from the footpath stores or non-branded shops or pay the same amount to purchase just one item from the posh shopping outlets. So, the ultimate choice is up to the customers".
"The sale of the brand items, particularly Indian products, is higher this year compared to the last year," said manger of Dash, a store known to keep brand items at the city's Rapa Plaza.
"The sale of the brand items also registered a slight increase this year compared to last year in the posh shopping joints though the prices of the items soared on account of dollar rate hike against the local currency," he said.
He said that the Indian, Chinese and Thai brand items dominating the local markets.
Long skirts, short kameez, sarees, jeans-tops, Lehanga, Lahsa and women's divider have been named following of some Indian movies and TV serial like Buntee Aur Bublee, Veer Zaara, Barsha, Kashish and Riva.
Traders said sarees were being sold between Tk 1000 and Tk 120,000 at the shopping complexes.
"We sell the most precious wears to our selective customers as the cash-strapped customers rarely visit these shops," said Mizanur Rahman of Dash.
Some new items are yet to hit the shelves and these would be imported after 15 to 20 Ramadan, traders of Rapa Plaza said.
Skirt-tops, frocks and girl's shalwar-kameez are also being sold in the posh shopping complexes at prices ranging between Tk 900 and Tk 2500 this year, said Kanta, a salesperson at the city's Karnaphuli Garden City.
Block-printed and embroidered colourful Fatuas and embroidered punjabis for young fashion loving persons are selling at a high cost at the Karnaphuli Garden City, Rapa Plaza, Eastern Plaza, Bashundhara Garden City, Metro Shopping Complex and Prince Plaza of the city.
In the shopping malls, the shop owners announced different lucrative offers like raffle draws, air tickets, cars, jewelries and dinner coupons at five-star hotels etc. to allure potential customers.
Among the local products, the highest selling items for women include blocks, boutique, tie-dye, antique and all over embroidery on both sarees and shalwar-kameez, said the shop owners at the shopping complexes.
Meanwhile, shopping has also sped up on the footpaths of the city's Paltan, Gulistan, Motijheel, Gawsia, New Market, Elephant Roads areas where the middle class and lower middle class buyers have been collecting their Eid items at reasonable price.
After visiting different markets, more rush has been noticed at footpath markets than their up-market counterparts. One salesman said that sale of products is being reduced due to mushrooming of markets in the city in recent times.
Traders of the footpaths said the prices of Eid dresses at such areas range from Tk 50 to Tk 500 for children, males and females.
According to international standards, in every supermarket complex a mall remains reserved for the economy classes, but it is absent in Bangladesh either due to the City Corporation's indifference or ignorance, said an aggrieved shopper.
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