Choose the right price to retain customers.

Although some still haggle over prices, the majority of small traders choose to sell at the stated price to avoid penalties, not to mention the risk of customers turning their backs on them.

Instead of haggling, many small traders in traditional markets choose to sell at the stated price to attract customers back - Photo: VAMINH

Besides many small traders who still maintain the habit of overcharging and cheating on weight, causing frustration for buyers, the majority of small traders in markets in Ho Chi Minh City choose to be transparent about prices and sell goods at the correct price to maintain their business operations in the face of competition from online marketplaces.

Many experts assert that traditional markets still have their own appeal thanks to the direct sales method, where customers can "touch and see" the products firsthand. If business attitudes improve and the habit of haggling and charging exorbitant prices is abandoned, traditional markets will still be a destination for many customers, even though they still have to compete with online marketplaces.

Traditional markets are changing to retain customers.

On December 10th, upon entering Phu Nhuan Market (Phu Nhuan District), we were greeted by stalls selling a wide variety of glassware, plastic goods, and household items right at the entrance. Holding a 1-liter glass jar used for storing spices, we inquired about the price and were quoted 75,000 VND by the shop owner.

"I want clear glass jars, thinner ones are also available. They cost 120,000 VND per jar. The thicker the glass, the cheaper it is. Don't believe me? Just check the prices online. We sell at the same price here," said Ms. Le Thi Xuan, the owner of this shop.

Speaking with us, Ms. Xuan said that traditional markets are currently experiencing a slump, so many small traders are choosing to sell at the listed price in the hope of attracting customers, as they need to cover the costs of maintaining their stalls, paying market management fees, warehousing, etc.

"In this day and age, why are people still haggling? It's a waste of time driving to the market only to encounter inflated prices. Customers can order online from a marketplace where prices are publicly displayed. Isn't that much better? So instead of haggling and shouting prices, most sellers now try to sell at fair prices to encourage customers to come and buy," added Ms. Xuan.

Deep inside the market, from meat and vegetable stalls to sausages and other processed foods, although prices aren't clearly displayed, the prices at most stalls are fairly consistent. A kilogram of pork belly is sold for 140,000 VND at the first stall and the same price at the last.

"The prices at the beginning and end of the market are the same. Pork sausage, ribs, pork leg... all have their prices publicly displayed. If I sell at a higher price, people won't come to buy anymore, or customers will report it to the hotline and someone will come to check. Moreover, I have to sell at the correct price if I want customers to come back," said Mr. Le Anh Tuan, the owner of a meat stall at this market.

At Tan Dinh Market (District 1), known as the "rich people's market" because most of the shoppers have high incomes, food and fresh produce here are priced higher than in other markets.

However, the vendors insisted that there was no price gouging, and that "the price of a fish or a bunch of vegetables includes the market management fee for a location in the city center."

"In the morning, I sell at Tan Dinh market, and in the afternoon, I sell at the market in Go Vap district. For the same price, 1kg of sea tiger prawns would cost 450,000 VND/kg at Tan Dinh market, but in Go Vap, I only sell it for 350,000 - 370,000 VND/kg."

"People from other places who come here to buy might think we're overcharging. But that's not the case, because it includes many costs, and here we have to accept it," said Ms. Ho Thi Thoa, a seafood vendor.

Small business owners must adapt to new trading trends.

Even fashion and clothing items, which were previously sold at exorbitant prices by many small traders, have seen price hikes due to concerns that customers will abandon online marketplaces.

At a sportswear stall in Saigon Square (District 1), when we offered a 50,000 VND discount on the quoted price of 250,000 VND per set of Vietnamese-made sportswear, Mr. Pham Van Toi firmly refused, saying that he had already quoted the correct price.

"I'm not overcharging. There are many informants here for the management and authorities. If I overcharge, someone will come down to inspect it soon. Besides, wholesale business is slow, it's the end of the year and I still don't have the motivation to order new goods, so I'm quoting the correct price to clear my inventory," Toi explained.

Some vendors admitted that in the past, most vendors in this market would haggle and overcharge, causing frustration for consumers and damaging the market's image. Therefore, the market management board intervened, controlled the situation, and took strict action.

Although some still haggle over prices, the majority of small traders choose to sell at the stated price to avoid penalties, not to mention the risk of customers turning their backs on them.

At a shoe stall in this market, when shown two pairs of shoes priced at 1.2 million VND/pair and 600,000 VND/pair, the foreign customer took out his phone, typed in the shoe names and prices, then took a screenshot and used Google Translate to translate them into Vietnamese.

The online price on some e-commerce sites was 680,000 VND per pair, while on others it was 600,000 VND per pair. Therefore, the customer agreed to buy the shoes because the price was the same as online.

The owner of an eyewear shop in a market in District 1 believes that business trends have changed, and sellers must also change and adapt.

"Now is not the time for haggling because customers don't go to the market as often as before. Now, the focus is on finding quality goods with diverse designs and competitive prices, and then publicly displaying lower prices online to attract customers," this person said.

A representative from the market management board stated that, according to regulations, vendors must register, display prices, and sell at the listed prices. However, many large stalls sell hundreds, even thousands, of products, and displaying prices on each item would be very elaborate and difficult, so the management board does not strictly require price listing.

"But we strictly control the pricing. This is the age of 'online markets,' where online stores compete on price, openly, so customers can freely compare and choose. Therefore, small traders in traditional markets must also change, otherwise they will lose customers," this person affirmed.

Tourist market is deserted.

Information from Ben Thanh Market in District 1 indicates that despite being in the peak shopping and sightseeing season, the market currently only receives about 3,000 visitors per day, a decrease of about 1,000 compared to the same period last year and half, or even only one-third, of the stable numbers before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of visitors to the market has decreased, mostly for sightseeing rather than shopping. This situation has discouraged many vendors from doing business, resulting in only about 1,200 of the more than 1,500 stalls designed for the market being open for business.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/chon-ban-dung-gia-de-giu-khach-20241212235429789.htm