With Ramadan already halfway through, bazaar vendors are rushing to make the most of the remaining time in raking in revenue before the Raya holiday.
Unfortunately, not all vendors have been lucky when it comes to making a profit, with some even reporting little to no income at all.
Earned no more than RM500 in 21 days
In a now-viral Threads post shared by a Ramadan bazaar vendor, she posted a clip which showed a relatively empty bazaar located at a shopping centre in Bertam, Kepala Batas in Penang, with only a handful of customers mulling around.
In the caption, the vendor broke down the expenses she had to bear in setting up her stall:
- RM10,000 in capital
- RM3,500 for booth rental
- RM2,000 for staff wages and borrowed funds
To make matters worse, she said that she earned less than RM500 over a span of 21 days, with some days leaving her with zero income.
The vendor also expressed disappointment that despite marketing efforts and well-known influencers appearing at the bazaar to drum up support, it simply didn’t materialise.
‘Survival, not profits, is on my mind right now’
In light of the fact that there were only 15 days left in the Ramadan period, the vendor said her sole focus now is simply to survive.
I’m no longer thinking about making profits. I’m just trying to figure out how to settle my debts.”
However, she added that she will not back down in the face of adversity and asked for the public to pray for her and her team to stay strong until the end.
Shift in trends?
In the comment section, netizens expressed sympathy for the vendor but added that trends in consumer behaviour have changed drastically in recent years.
Some said that most Malaysians now prefer online shopping as they don’t have to endure massive crowds and bad weather.
One netizen opined that Ramadan bazaars have largely lost its relevance over the years, leading to increased disinterest among Malaysians.
Do you think Ramadan bazaars still have a place in Malaysian society or have faded into obscurity? Let us know in the comments!
