Kerala retailers gear up for ‘Onam’ sales;

Kerala retailers gear up for ‘Onam’ sales;

Posted By: Shiv Bhatia

offer gifts, draws, shopping bonanzas to lure customers , the biggest harvest festival of Kerala marking the homecoming of legendary King Mahabali, despite clouds of global recession still hovering on the sky, is being celebrated with traditional gaiety, festivity, and feeling of happiness.While, Supplyco (Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation), a state government retailer, has planned to celebrate the festival beginning the 28th August, 2009, private sector retail players have also geared up for the occasion with several mouth-watering shopping offers for their customers.Supplyco is hoping to garner sales of Rs 210 crore this Onam by setting up five Metro People’s Bazaars and 12 Town People’s Bazaars that will cater to customer needs of essential commodities and other household products at reasonable prices during the festival time.Sony, the leading Japanese consumer electronic brand, is all set to garner festive season business of Rs 75 crore, this Onam. Apart from promoting various other products in its range, Sony is expecting to sell 20,000 CTVs (LCDs) and 10,000 digicams during the period.Whirlpool, the well known brand of home appliances, is ready to storm the market with a wide range of washing machines and other durable products. The brand is expecting to garner sales of Rs 100 crore by selling 250,000 appliances this year. The brand sold 170,000 appliances last year.Tanishq, the leading gold jewellery maker owned by Tatas-led Titan, is offering gifts worth Rs 2 lakh at each store in Kerala. Besides, it is also freeing its customers from obligation of paying last installment under Golden Harvest Savings Scheme of the company.Panasonic India, the leading consumer electronics company, is hoping to double its sales during the Onam festival in Kerala. The durables brand is expecting to achieve Rs 40 crore worth business this year compared to Rs 20 crore in the previous year by offering an exchange and upgrade offer to its customers. Panasonic will exchange and/or upgrade old colour TV sets with new CTV, LCD or plasma TV sets.Sonata, the leading wrist watch maker, is offering 20 per cent special ‘Onam’ discount on its products. Sonata, according to its Regional Sales Manager Anand Moorthy, is looking at creating a distinct style and personality for its customers with the season’s ‘must have’ accessory.Zuari Furniture, a K K Birla company, has also targeted big jump in the festive business this year. The brand, despite global economic meltdown, has registered 55 per cent growth this year.Philips India, the leading consumer durables company, is looking at 40 per cent growth in its sales and is expecting to achieve sales worth Rs 60 crore for consumer electronic products during the quarter. It is offering free gifts and special prices on its products like CTVs and DVD players, among others.Zapp, the kidswear brand, which currently operates six stores in the state, has decided to bring cheer to faces of poor children this Onam by partnering with ‘SOS Children’s Village.’ The brand will be gifting toys/books to children from poor families through its outlets at Ernakulam and Edappally. Telecom service provider MTS, a mobile telephony brand of Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL), has announced special plans, called MSaver 98 and MSaver 199, exclusively for its customers in Kerala on the occasion of Onam. Even Tata Telecom, apart from special tariffs for the occasion, has come out with gift and other offers for its prepaid customers.Even State Bank of India (SBI) has reduced interest rates on consumer loans as “Onam Gift.’ The bank is offering interest rates of 7 per cent on housing loans and 8 per cent on car loans to its consumers.