Brickfields Deepavali traders turn to TikTok as shoppers shun relocated bazaar

Deepavali bazaar traders in Brickfields are using TikTok to boost last-minute sales due to lower footfall after being relocated off the main road.

Many traders report significant drops in sales, with some not even earning RM1,000 over a weekend due to reduced visibility and sweltering tent conditions.

Traders like Sunita Gill are considering not returning next year unless their stalls are moved back to original locations, citing poor sales performance.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 — After weeks of sluggish sales, Deepavali bazaar traders in Brickfields are making a final push on TikTok to drive last-minute sales ahead of the festival on Sunday.

Unlike previous years, the stalls are no longer scattered along the main roads of Brickfields.

This year, they have been moved off the main road to ease traffic congestion.

The shops are now housed under sturdy marquee tents at the Kompleks Tun Sambanthan car park, sheltering them and their goods from strong winds and torrential rain.

Yet many here long for their old spots, where they say business was far better.

Gunaseelan Subramaniam, a clothing vendor who has traded at the Brickfields Deepavali bazaar for 25 years, said his old spot drew a stronger crowd during breakfast and lunch hours on working days.

“The footfall was better there on the main road. A lot of tourists visited my shop in the previous years and in fact, I had a strong crowd of Malay customers.

“This year, people barely knew the bazaar exists here,” he told Malay Mail when met at his stall recently.

“Our best sales are usually on the last weekend before Deepavali, but I hardly earned even RM1,000 over the three days last week.”

Desperate to boost sales, Gunaseelan went live on TikTok to promote the bazaar and appeal for public support.

“I had some customers who said they used to walk past this area but didn’t know the bazaar was operating here until the TikTok videos went viral.

“It’s the only thing keeping us afloat for now,” he said.

Viswalingam Karuppiah, 61, who sells traditional wear sourced directly from India, said shoppers were reluctant to bring their children to the bazaar due to the sweltering heat inside the tents.

Only a few air coolers were installed along the bazaar corridors, which he said was insufficient to keep the area cool.

“We are thankful to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) for lowering the rent to just RM400 per lot and giving us sturdy tents.

“But people come to the bazaar for clothes because they want to feel the material and try it on before buying.

“Nobody wants to stay here too long because it is so hot, even at night,” he said.

Like Gunaseelan, Viswalingam has also turned to TikTok to attract customers as he races against time to recover his capital.

Meanwhile, trader Sunita Gill from Ipoh has seen her hopes dashed as her kurtis and lenghas have struggled to leave the racks since the bazaar opened a month ago.

Sunita, a full-time homemaker, had hoped to repeat the strong sales she recorded at last year’s bazaar.

“At my old spot opposite the RHB Bank, I could easily sell two to three dresses during lunch hour alone. But this year, I have hardly made 10 per cent of what I earned last year,” she said.

Having traded here since 2022, Sunita said she will most likely not return to the Brickfields Deepavali bazaar next year unless traders are relocated to their old spots.

“I’d rather take another location. I won’t be here because business here is very bad.”

Deepavali falls on November 8 this year.

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由于搬迁到远离主干道的地方后客流量减少，吉隆坡 Brickfields 的屠妖节集市商贩们正在利用 TikTok 来促进最后的销售。

许多商贩反映销售额大幅下降，由于能见度降低和帐篷内闷热难耐，一些商贩甚至一个周末的收入都达不到 1000 马币。

像苏妮塔·吉尔这样的商贩表示，除非他们的摊位搬回原址，否则他们正在考虑明年不再回来，理由是销售业绩不佳。

吉隆坡，11 月 5 日讯——经过数周的销售低迷，吉隆坡 Brickfields 的屠妖节集市商贩们正在 TikTok 上做最后的冲刺，以推动周日节日前的最后销售。

与往年不同，摊位不再像往年那样分散在砖厂的主要道路沿线。

今年，为了缓解交通拥堵，它们被移出了主干道。

现在，这些商店都安置在敦桑班丹综合大楼停车场坚固的帐篷下，可以保护它们及其货物免受强风和暴雨的侵袭。

然而，这里许多人怀念他们以前的地方，他们说那里的生意要好得多。

在 Brickfields Deepavali 集市摆摊 25 年的服装商贩 Gunaseelan Subramaniam 表示，他以前的摊位在工作日的早餐和午餐时间吸引了更多顾客。

“主干道上的人流量更好。前几年有很多游客光顾我的店，事实上，我有很多马来顾客。”

“今年，人们几乎不知道这里有个集市，”他最近在自己的摊位上接受《马来邮报》采访时说道。

“我们通常最好的销售季是屠妖节前的最后一个周末，但上周三天我几乎没赚到1000令吉。”

为了提振销量，古纳塞兰在TikTok上进行了直播，宣传集市并呼吁公众支持。

“有些顾客说他们以前经常路过这个区域，但直到 TikTok 视频走红后才知道这里有个集市。

“这是我们目前唯一的维持生计的东西，”他说。

61岁的Viswalingam Karuppiah出售直接从印度采购的传统服装，他说，由于帐篷内酷热难耐，购物者不愿带孩子来集市。

他说，集市走廊里只安装了几台空调，这不足以保持该地区凉爽。

“我们感谢吉隆坡市政厅（DBKL）将租金降至每块地仅需 400 令吉，并为我们提供了坚固的帐篷。

“但人们来集市买衣服，是因为他们想在购买前感受面料并试穿。

“没有人愿意在这里待太久，因为这里太热了，即使是晚上也是如此，”他说。

和 Gunaseelan 一样，Viswalingam 也开始利用 TikTok 来吸引顾客，因为他正争分夺秒地收回成本。

与此同时，怡保的商人苏妮塔·吉尔的希望破灭了，自从集市一个月前开业以来，她的库尔塔和伦加裙一直难以售出。

全职家庭主妇苏妮塔希望能够重现去年集市上取得的强劲销售业绩。

“以前我在RHB银行对面摆摊，光午休时间就能轻松卖出两三件连衣裙。但今年，我的收入连去年的十分之一都不到，”她说。

自 2022 年以来一直在这里摆摊的苏妮塔表示，除非商贩们被迁回他们原来的摊位，否则她明年很可能不会再回到 Brickfields 的屠妖节集市了。

“我宁愿选择其他地方。我不会留在这里，因为这里的生意非常糟糕。”

今年的排灯节是11月8日。

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