Why is the 'Wishing Paper Street' in Ho Chi Minh City deserted during Halloween?

Halloween - Ảnh 1. — A stall on Hai Thuong Lan Ong street - Photo: HUYEN TRAN

According to Tuoi Tre Online , Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street, Cho Lon Ward, known as the "paper offering area" of Ho Chi Minh City, which is always crowded with customers, is witnessing a desolate scene after the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The stalls covered in the typical orange and black colors of Halloween now have only a few customers stopping to look and then leaving.

Cheap but still hard to "pull the wallet" of buyers

Along the street, stalls were hung with masks, pumpkins, capes, skulls, effigies, decorative strings, etc., but there were few buyers. Many vendors just sat waiting for customers or adjusting their items to keep their hands busy.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Phong - a trader in Cho Lon ward - said that this year the goods are more abundant than every year, and sellers have also proactively reduced prices to stimulate demand.

Specifically, the small plastic pumpkin without lights is currently priced at about 25,000 VND/piece, while the one with lights is sold for 30,000 VND, which is also the best-selling product this year.

Compared to last year, the price has decreased by about 10,000 - 15,000 VND per item. At that time, pumpkins without lights were sold for 35,000 VND, while those with lights ranged from 40,000 - 45,000 VND.

Mr. Phong shared: "I only sell pure Halloween items, not combined with Christmas products like some other stalls. My customers are mainly businesses buying to decorate their offices, cafes or stores; while the group of students, who used to be the main retail buyers, has decreased significantly."

In previous years, from mid-October onwards, the number of customers was already bustling, and some days we even had to work until late at night to deliver goods on time.

According to this trader, in previous years, by mid-October, the shop was already bustling with customers. However, in recent years, there have been days when he has been able to sell only a few small items from morning to night, not enough to cover the cost of renting the space and paying the staff.

Mr. Le Phat Loc - a merchant on the same street - said that all the items here are under 100,000 VND for customers to choose from, but purchasing power is still very slow.

"In recent years, online sales have taken over almost all the market share, so we have to compete on both price and design. In addition, the erratic weather, alternating between rain and sunshine, also makes customers reluctant to go shopping," said Mr. Loc. However, compared to Mid-Autumn Festival, this year's Halloween season is still "easier to breathe".

Not only retailers, many customers also admit that the prices of Halloween items this year are much "softer" than in previous years.

Mr. Tran Van Nam, a resident of Binh Dong Ward, said he usually doesn’t care much about Halloween, so he doesn’t buy much. But this year, he saw that many decorations were quite cheap, so he bought a small pumpkin with lights for 30,000 VND.

"Even though the items are small, the kids like them. Buying them for them is fun, as it gives them a toy and also makes their room more lively. In recent years, the economy has been difficult, so family expenses have to be calculated more carefully. It's a waste to spend a few hundred thousand on a few toys that will just sit there for a few days," said Mr. Nam.

'Phố hàng mã' tại TP.HCM vắng lặng mùa Halloween, vì sao? - Ảnh 2. — Consumers choose to buy Halloween decorations - Photo: HUYEN TRAN

Purchasing power decreased due to competition with e-commerce?

Not only affected by weak purchasing power, many small traders also face difficulties due to strong competition from e-commerce platforms. Consumers now tend to order decorative items online, which are cheaper and have them delivered to their doorstep, causing the number of customers coming to buy directly to decrease significantly.

At Parc Mall (Chanh Hung ward, Ho Chi Minh City), the number of customers coming to shop during the days before the holidays is also thinner than in previous years.

Mr. Do Hoang Minh - head of fashion management at Parc Mall - said that Halloween items at the mall are quite diverse, from pumpkins, glitter strings, masks,... but children's costumes are the best sellers, with prices ranging from 70,000 to 500,000 VND depending on the design and material.

In addition, to stimulate shopping, the store has launched a 10% discount program for all products in the days leading up to the holiday. "Seasonal items are to create a more vibrant atmosphere and to spread this holiday closer to customers," Mr. Minh explained.

According to records, at supermarkets, bookstores, and shops in Ho Chi Minh City, despite the Halloween festival, many places have removed Halloween decorations to replace them with Christmas and New Year decorations.