Set out goods in the morning, but only have buyers at 5pm at the once busiest market in Can Tho

Setting up their stalls in the morning, customers don't start buying anything until 5 pm at what used to be the busiest market in Can Tho. — The Cai Khe shopping center (Ninh Kieu district, Can Tho city) is deserted; vendors just sit around scrolling through their phones to pass the time. Photo: Yen Phuong

Closing down and abandoning everything to escape.

Observations at Cai Khe Commercial Center, also known as Cai Khe Market (Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City), show that many small traders are currently facing a deadlock due to sluggish sales, a lack of customers, numerous stalls closing down, and some traders having to relocate or put up signs advertising their stalls or kiosks for sale.

With slow business, many small traders are moving to new locations and putting up signs indicating they are selling their stalls. Photo: Yen Phuong

Frustrated by the lack of customers, Ms. Do Thi Thu Huong (68 years old, a small business owner at Cai Khe Commercial Center) said that the current situation can only be described in two words: "exhaustion." Small business owners here can't afford to pay taxes or rent, and everyone is in debt with no idea when they'll have the money to pay it back.

"Many people couldn't hold out and gave up, bringing their goods home and essentially abandoning everything. Some are even in a terrible situation; they had to sell their land to raise capital to start this business, but now they've lost everything and there's no way to recover," Mrs. Huong said sadly.

Numerous stalls have closed down. Photo: Yen Phuong — The Cai Khe shopping center is deserted, with numerous shops closed. Photo: Yen Phuong

According to Ms. Huong, many small traders are currently putting up signs to transfer their stalls, but they can't do so, and no one is renting them out. If they leave them vacant, they have to pay taxes and rent, so many people are leaving their stalls empty. A prime example is the entire front row of stalls in the market, where many have closed down, with many traders abandoning their businesses because they couldn't find anyone to transfer their stalls to.

"This market has nearly 100 stalls, but currently more than 50 have closed down because the vendors are burdened with too many responsibilities while purchasing power has decreased, and unsold goods have piled up, making it impossible for them to cope anymore," Ms. Huong further shared.

Losing 7 million VND every month.

Observations show that the entire Cai Khe market is mostly filled with vendors, with only a few customers occasionally passing by, but they only look at the goods and don't buy anything. The small traders just sit around scrolling on their phones and chatting to kill time.

Scrolling through their phones, chatting, etc., is how small business owners kill time during the day. Photo: Yen Phuong — Scrolling through their phones, chatting, etc., is how small business owners kill time each day. Photo: Yen Phuong

Mr. Huynh Quoc Cuong (a small business owner at Cai Khe Commercial Center) said that this situation has been going on for a long time. In the morning, he sets up his stall and then sits there scrolling on his phone until the afternoon when he packs up and goes home. Some days, he doesn't get a single customer until 5 pm, and the rest of the time, there are no customers at all.

“For over a year now, because I haven't been able to sell anything, I haven't had the money to buy new inventory. In fact, I've been losing money every day. On average, I have to cover a loss of 7 million VND per month, which includes 4 million VND for rent, nearly 2 million VND for taxes, plus electricity, water, parking fees, etc.,” Cường lamented.

Mr. Cuong is fed up with having to cover a loss of 7 million VND every month. Photo: Yen Phuong

After setting up her stall for a whole week without selling anything, Ms. Yen (a small business owner at Cai Khe Commercial Center) shook her head in frustration: "Now, I have to say one word: 'terrible.' There are no other words to describe the sluggish business situation here."

Ms. Yen said that on lucky days, she only earns enough money to eat, let alone pay rent and taxes. Now, she just hopes to find a way to sell all her goods so she can go home and rest, because she can't work anymore and is too discouraged.

As for Ms. Do Thi Thu Huong, she has invested all her capital into her fabric stall, and now she has to go to the market every day hoping to sell whatever she can. But currently, she can't sell anything, leaving her in an even more desperate situation.

Faced with the reality of sluggish markets, lack of customers, and unsold goods, many small traders have expressed their desire for authorities to consider providing support by reducing taxes and rent, so that they can continue to maintain their businesses.

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