MANSI BHAMBRI | Dehradun
Contrary to expectations, the recent GST reforms have not led to an expected increase in the sales of electronic items during the Deepawali season this year. Electronic appliance shop owners have expressed concern over stagnant sales at their establishments, which defies hopes of a surge in demand. They attributed the drop-in sales, particularly for televisions, to e-commerce platforms offering various categories of products at significant discounts.
Notably, a new GST structure, which includes two tiers with rates of five per cent and 18 per cent, has been approved and is designed to benefit the general populace. Initially, the recent implementation of this new structure was expected to boost business during the festival season.
The owner of an electronic appliance shop Siddharth Hurla said that there were earlier expectations of increased television sales during the festival due to the GST reforms. However, the current scenario reflects the same situation observed last year. Nowadays, people prefer to buy electronic products online because of the substantial offers and discounts provided by these platforms. He anticipates that this year, the sales of televisions and other electronic items will not increase due to this competition.
Another electronic appliance owner, Vivek Arora, expressed similar concerns. He said that in recent years, online platforms have seen significant growth, influencing individuals to choose these options for their purchases due to offers and coupons. As a result, the business for television sales and other items at their shops has remained stable rather than growing year after year, he added.
An electronics shop owner Anuj Chaddha stated, “E-commerce platforms have changed consumer behaviour significantly, impacting our business by 20 to 50 per cent. We expect to see the same situation of decreased sales this Deepawali as we did last year.”
