Lucknow: The king of all festivals just a few days away, the city’s electronics market has yet to pick up and retailers fear sales of televisions, refrigerators, washing machines and other appliances will go down by up to 50% compared to previous years and pin their hopes on Dhanteras and Diwali sales. Market associations projected electronics sales of around Rs 16 crore by Dhanteras this year, buoyed by strong performances over the past two festive seasons. Traders, however, say sales, footfall and advance bookings have remained below expectations.According to the Lucknow Vyapar Mandal, electronics retailers recorded sales of around Rs 12 crore on Dhanteras in 2023, rising to Rs 14.4 crore in 2024, despite increasing competition from online platforms. Traders expected sales to touch nearly Rs 16 crore this year, but trends suggest the target may be difficult to achieve without a last-minute surge.Retailers said appliance dispatches, which averaged 30-40 units a week during previous festive seasons, dropped to 12-15 units. Advance bookings have fallen from over 100 in the week preceding Diwali to around 40-50 this season.Electronic Traders Association president Bunty Abrol and Lucknow Electronics Association’s Pawan Manocha attributed the slowdown to rising prices and limited festive offers. Abrol said higher procurement costs, particularly for imported electronic components and chips, squeeze margins and reduce the ability to offer attractive discounts. He said, “Those who cannot afford a new television, refrigerator or washing machine are opting for lower-priced microwave ovens, induction cooktops, Bluetooth speakers, air fryers, idli makers and other small kitchen appliances.”Manocha said, “Buyers are looking for utility products within a fixed budget and are spending, but cautiously.”Indira Nagar resident Dr Stuti Mishra said she postponed her plan to buy a refrigerator because of the price. Ravi Mishra visited a showroom to buy a large-screen television, but ended up buying a music system.“I planned to buy a big television, but the model I liked was beyond my budget. Instead of spending around Rs 25,000 on a TV, I bought a music system for about Rs 18,000, something my family could still enjoy,” he said.Online marketplaces are a major challenge with discounts, cashback offers, exchange schemes and easy EMI options. Aryan Singh of Chowk said he found a washing machine cheaper online after factoring in bank discounts and cashback offers.Puja Rastogi of Hazratganj prefers buying from local dealers after inspecting products and after-sales support.
