Ho Chi Minh City: The capital of Christmas decorations is gloomy, purchasing power is down

With only about two weeks left until Christmas, the festive atmosphere has begun on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City. On Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street, which is considered the "capital" of Christmas decorations, many shops have already displayed pine trees, wreaths, LED lights and all kinds of colorful accessories...

*Christmas atmosphere covers Hai Thuong Lan Ong street (Ho Chi Minh City). Photo: Minh Anh*

Consumers tighten spending

According to the reporter, in contrast to the familiar bustle at this time of previous years, the Christmas decoration market this year is somewhat less vibrant. Customers still come to visit and take check-in photos, but the number of purchases has decreased significantly.

According to some retailers, at the same time last year, customers flocked to buy Christmas trees to decorate their homes, offices or coffee shops... but this year, many families prioritized using old items, only buying a few small accessories to save costs. The number of customers concentrated in the evenings and weekends, but purchasing power was weaker, especially for high-value items such as large Christmas trees or complete decoration sets.

*Christmas stalls attract customers with their rich and colorful designs. Photo: Minh Anh*

Talking to a reporter from Cong Thuong Newspaper, Ms. Nguyen Thu Ha (34 years old, Tan My ward) said: "Every year I want to decorate for Christmas, but this year I have to cut down on spending. Small items like lights or balls can still be bought, the rest I take advantage of old items from last year to save money. I see that customers buy less than last year, many people like me, mainly choose a few small, cheap items...".

Ms. Pham Ngoc Vy (28 years old, Tan Hung ward) shared: " Although the shopping atmosphere this year seems to be quieter, the designs are still very diverse, from mini items to large decorative door rings, there are all available. The prices of goods are also quite stable, not much higher than last year, so if you like, it is still easy to choose a few affordable items. I also only choose a few small items to decorate my children's rooms, but prioritize retail items with low prices."

Stable prices help customers easily choose to buy

Although purchasing power has slowed down, Christmas decoration stores in Ho Chi Minh City still import a rich source of goods with diverse designs, suitable for many different consumer groups. According to assessments, the prices of Christmas decoration items this year are quite stable, almost unchanged from the previous season, making it easier for buyers to choose even with a tight budget.

*The storefront is decorated very eye-catchingly, filled with reindeer and pine trees. Photo: Minh Anh*

Talking to a reporter from Cong Thuong Newspaper, Mr. Thai, owner of Phong Thai store on Hai Thuong Lan Ong street, said that this year's prices remain stable compared to previous years, and the designs in stock are more diverse.

The owner of this store said that the prices of mini pine trees for desks range from 25,000 to 90,000 VND; the 30-60cm tall ones range from 100,000 to 300,000 VND; and the large trees from 1.2 to 3m are priced from 400,000 VND to about 6 million VND depending on the type.

Decorative accessories such as tinsel, wreaths, balls, Santa Claus models... still maintain the common price from 25,000 to 200,000 VND each. Some special items such as decorative gift boxes or Christmas lollipops have increased in price, but the increase is not much.

"Prices are stable so customers are not too hesitant, that is a positive signal for us traders. However, this year's purchasing power has decreased significantly compared to the same period last year, which makes us a bit worried. There are about 2 weeks left until Christmas, hopefully the number of purchases will increase sharply this week," Mr. Thai shared.

Mr. Vo Thanh Nhan, the owner of a souvenir shop in Ben Luc town (formerly Long An province) has been going to Ho Chi Minh City for many years to buy goods to sell at the end of the year. Mr. Nhan shared that although purchasing power has decreased, the fact that prices have not increased dramatically helps him feel more secure when importing goods.

"Best-selling items like flashing lights, balls or laurel wreaths... all maintain reasonable prices. Christmas trees of all kinds are also available in all segments. It is also convenient for me to import them to the province to resell, because the prices do not increase much, so customers can easily choose. For small stores, this stability is very important," said Mr. Nhan.

*Although the number of customers is not as expected, traders in Ho Chi Minh City still believe that the number of purchases will increase sharply this week. Photo: Minh Anh*

Although not as bustling as previous Christmas seasons, the shops on Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street are still the choice of many families in Ho Chi Minh City during the year-end holiday season. In the context of tightening spending, the stable prices of Christmas decoration items this year help consumers feel secure in their choices, ensuring a cost-effective Christmas season.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/tp-ho-chi-minh-thu-phu-do-trang-tri-noel-am-dam-suc-mua-giam-434010.html