Discontinue odd-even rule for shops: Traders
| Date :11-Jul-2020 |
Business Bureau ;
“As the festive season is starting from next month, the Government should allow shops to open on all the days of the week,” Shankar Khemchandani said
The odd-even formula introduced by the State Government for opening shops of non-essential items should be discontinued as it is creating a lot of confusion in the minds of customers, traders demanded. With the odd-even rule in practice most customers are not even aware on which days the shops are open in a particular market. It becomes a waste of time and money for the customers if they go to a particular shop and find it closed on that day.
Due to practical difficulties, the odd-even formula of opening shops should be scrapped, said Shankar Khemchandani, Director of Satish Saree Niketan while speaking to The Hitavada. He further said that due to the COVID-19 crisis customers are fearful of stepping out from their homes. It is very difficult for shopkeepers to operate their businesses under such conditions. The markets need customers to return and start spending to revive demand in the local markets. Shopkeepers have suffered heavy losses during the lockdown and they need support to stay afloat, he said. “As the festive season is starting from next month, the Government should allow shops to open on all the days of the week. This will help the Government achieve the objective of controlling and reducing crowding in the markets. If the shops are open on all the days, overcrowding can be avoided in the shops. More people can be accommodated over all the days in a week compared to odd-even days”, Khemchandani said.
“Although the Government is providing relaxations under the ‘Mission Begin Again’ to revive the economy, measures need to be taken to boost demand. Traders are practicing all the standard operation procedures (SOPs), physical distancing norms as it protects the customers, workers and shop owners who are equally at risk of acquiring the coronavirus. Everyones existence and livelihood is at risk and we need to fight the spread of the virus carefully,” he said. There has to be strong growth in demand and for this consumer confidence has to be restored, he said. In order to raise demand and get the economy moving the Government should devise a formula which will benefit everyone, he added. Kishore Seth, Director of Batukbhai Jewellers and Sons, Dharampeth said that the odd-even rule is difficult to follow and for customers it is creating more confusion. It is found that most customers often neglect the advertisements specifying the open days of the showroom. Customers want convenience of shopping according to the time they have on hand.
For this the shops need to be open on a continuous basis. The odd-even formula is not suitable for the jewellery business. It is obstructing continuation of business. Looking at the forthcoming festive season, the Government should do-away with the odd-even rule to revive demand. The odd-even norm does not benefit the traders as only half of the business is done during the month, he pointed out. Jaiprakash Parekh, Former Secretary of NVCC said the odd-even formula adopted by the Government is not feasible in a small city like Nagpur where everything is available in a single market place. Markets and shops need to open for the public on all days. This will lower the number of customers and overcrowding at a shop.