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Lajpat Rai Market: Conversation With A Wholesaler Of Electronic Domestic Goods; Rakesh Kumar Singh
After following him for 3-4 days, I was finally able to manage a conversation with S.P. Gaud.
"College time me main rojgar ke bare me sochne laga tha. Usi dauran mere ek bahi sahab be mujhe ek admi se milwaya. Fir hun teen vyaktiyon ne milkar partnership me kam shuru kiya supply ka. Hamara kam kewal marketing ka tha, manufacturing ka kam unlogon ne sambhal liya tha. Yeh koi 1983 ki bat hai."
(During the time when i was in college, I had begun thinking about my employment. Around the same time, mu elder brother got me introduced to another man. Then three of us together began work of 'supplying' in partnership. My work was limited to marketing. The other two took over the work of manufacturing. This must be around 1983)
This is what SP Gaud started his conversation with. And he sees this, as his entry into the business. And after 6 years (in 1989) he got a shop in the market. he did not have much difficulty in getting a shop."People get shops through 'contacts' here. I had s sense of attachemnt with the people, and then i had gone and met the concerned people a couple of times, and that's how i got the shop. I did not have to struggle much," he says. First he took the shop on rent and in those days he used to pay rs. 2000-2500 monthly as rent. And finally in 1996 he bought two stalls. He had paid approximatly 3 lakhs at that time for the stalls, now it is very difficult to get the same stall even for 6-7 lakh rupees. "Actually 6-7 lakh, is not much for this space. because the value of this market is lot more. But because it is not an authorised and regularised market, its actual prices are less.
He had started his business with supply of emergency lights and rechargable torches, which he does even today. Those were the days when the market had lot of customers everytime. "Nam se mal bika karta tha market me. Kisi bhi item ko dabangai se tal thok kar becha karte the." (earlier the products used to be sold on people's name. Items were sold without and fear.) he says. But today the situation has changed. Traders are not doing well. And in Gaud's opinion the increased number of shops and change in items (quality and brand wise, CHINESE ITEMS) are the two main reasons behind the worsening business.
He says that "the growing competition and decreasing margin have hampered the trade in the market and that's why manufacturer's have to leave delhi to sell there products. Also, since the number of manufacturers have increased, local productions has increased, that is another reason why manufacturers are leaving Delhi." he further quips, simultaneously,
shopkeepers have also changed their trade. People have left varied businesses and begun this work. This means, there's competition in trade as well as in manufacturing."
Another important reason of worsening the trade he says is the introduction of Chinese items in the market. "China made domestic product has literaly captured our market", he says. The domestic goods of daily use started coming in from China in large amount. "Inspite of not very good quality, its cost was reasonable. These goods are so cheap that we can not even imagine. perhaps, its their bulk production which has made the items so cheap", "Agar apko yaad ho to diwali ki lariyan pichhli bar bahut sasti biki thi hamare yahn. Pandrah-pandrah, bis-bis rupaye me log le gaye khareedkar lariyan. Yeh sara chinese tha. Hamare yahan to yeh lariyan taiyar hi hoti hain 25-30 rupaye men, to hum kaise sasti de sakte hain. Isi wajah se hum competiton me pichhad jate hain.". (If you would remember, last year the lights during Diwali were very cheaply available.
People were buying it in 15 -20 rupees. All the stuff was chinese. Here, the lights were prepared prepared only for 25-30 rupees. So how can we sell it in less than that. This was the reason why we got behind in competition) Some of the Chinese items are so cheap and good that people ask for them only.
Mainly he is a wholesaler but he does retail work as well. And in case any of his retail costumers come with any complaint of the sold commodity then he gets the thing repaired. "Since we've earned profir from them, then it becomes are duty to
repair the product".
"College time me main rojgar ke bare me sochne laga tha. Usi dauran mere ek bahi sahab be mujhe ek admi se milwaya. Fir hun teen vyaktiyon ne milkar partnership me kam shuru kiya supply ka. Hamara kam kewal marketing ka tha, manufacturing ka kam unlogon ne sambhal liya tha. Yeh koi 1983 ki bat hai."
(During the time when i was in college, I had begun thinking about my employment. Around the same time, mu elder brother got me introduced to another man. Then three of us together began work of 'supplying' in partnership. My work was limited to marketing. The other two took over the work of manufacturing. This must be around 1983)
This is what SP Gaud started his conversation with. And he sees this, as his entry into the business. And after 6 years (in 1989) he got a shop in the market. he did not have much difficulty in getting a shop."People get shops through 'contacts' here. I had s sense of attachemnt with the people, and then i had gone and met the concerned people a couple of times, and that's how i got the shop. I did not have to struggle much," he says. First he took the shop on rent and in those days he used to pay rs. 2000-2500 monthly as rent. And finally in 1996 he bought two stalls. He had paid approximatly 3 lakhs at that time for the stalls, now it is very difficult to get the same stall even for 6-7 lakh rupees. "Actually 6-7 lakh, is not much for this space. because the value of this market is lot more. But because it is not an authorised and regularised market, its actual prices are less.
He had started his business with supply of emergency lights and rechargable torches, which he does even today. Those were the days when the market had lot of customers everytime. "Nam se mal bika karta tha market me. Kisi bhi item ko dabangai se tal thok kar becha karte the." (earlier the products used to be sold on people's name. Items were sold without and fear.) he says. But today the situation has changed. Traders are not doing well. And in Gaud's opinion the increased number of shops and change in items (quality and brand wise, CHINESE ITEMS) are the two main reasons behind the worsening business.
He says that "the growing competition and decreasing margin have hampered the trade in the market and that's why manufacturer's have to leave delhi to sell there products. Also, since the number of manufacturers have increased, local productions has increased, that is another reason why manufacturers are leaving Delhi." he further quips, simultaneously,
shopkeepers have also changed their trade. People have left varied businesses and begun this work. This means, there's competition in trade as well as in manufacturing."
Another important reason of worsening the trade he says is the introduction of Chinese items in the market. "China made domestic product has literaly captured our market", he says. The domestic goods of daily use started coming in from China in large amount. "Inspite of not very good quality, its cost was reasonable. These goods are so cheap that we can not even imagine. perhaps, its their bulk production which has made the items so cheap", "Agar apko yaad ho to diwali ki lariyan pichhli bar bahut sasti biki thi hamare yahn. Pandrah-pandrah, bis-bis rupaye me log le gaye khareedkar lariyan. Yeh sara chinese tha. Hamare yahan to yeh lariyan taiyar hi hoti hain 25-30 rupaye men, to hum kaise sasti de sakte hain. Isi wajah se hum competiton me pichhad jate hain.". (If you would remember, last year the lights during Diwali were very cheaply available.
People were buying it in 15 -20 rupees. All the stuff was chinese. Here, the lights were prepared prepared only for 25-30 rupees. So how can we sell it in less than that. This was the reason why we got behind in competition) Some of the Chinese items are so cheap and good that people ask for them only.
Mainly he is a wholesaler but he does retail work as well. And in case any of his retail costumers come with any complaint of the sold commodity then he gets the thing repaired. "Since we've earned profir from them, then it becomes are duty to
repair the product".