Bespoke services for Eid help traders stay afloat

Pune: Local businesses have faced heavy loss since the beginning of the pandemic and more so after the implementation of stricter restrictions. Traders are now trying to stay afloat by taking their products and services at customers’ doorsteps. Garment retailer Shahin Aziz said, “Since our shop is closed, we have been sending photographs on WhatsApp and offering home delivery of garments. For Eid, I sent a broadcast message to our customers appealing them to show some support for small businesses such as ours and received a good response from them. Sales have not been as they were in the pre-Covid times, but at least we have had some income since last month due to Eid shopping.” An accessories store owner from Laxmi Road, who has suffered heavy losses since last year, said, “Businessmen like us were anyway losing the battle to e-commerce websites, who could afford to offer heavy discounts. After the pandemic hit, things have become so bad that we cannot earn enough to run our homes. Initially, I waited for things to get back to normal but then I decided that I have to adapt my business according to the current situation. I have started selling the stock…
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