Brunei's Local News - Brudirect.com

Bandar Seri Begawan - Department stores and supermarkets alike said that this year's Brunei Grand Sale didn't turn out to be as grand as it was in the past, attributing the slight decrease in sales to new competitors and Hari Raya celebrations that came too soon.

The increase in new competitors all eager to cash in on the Grand Sale relates to figures released by the Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office, Haji Murni Haji Mohamed, who said that the total average participation by companies in 2005 was 440, whereas this year the figure had increased to 460.

"Normally, we see an increase every year (in sales). However, this year, it dropped," said the manager of a well-known department store in the Gadong commercial area.

He said that a 10 per cent drop in sales was seen in this year's Grand Sale, blaming it partly on the emergence of new competitors that offer similar

items at similar prices.

"Also, I think it's normal for people to flock to a new department store or shopping centre that has just opened. But once everything stabilizes, customers slowly start coming back," the manager explained.

Despite the slight losses seen in some department stores, the "Brunei Grand Sale provided a positive impact on local businesses in general", according to the Permanent Secretary.

"This was proved by a study conducted by the Economic Planning and Development Department, JPKE in the third quarter of 2007 which shows a 12.6 per cent increase in profits compared to the second quarter of 2007 before BGS was held," he said.

"Brunei's Consumer Price Index (CPI) is currently at a relatively low rate, where the difference in the CPI for 2007 compared to the previous year was only 0.3 per cent. This stable inflation rate is due to the cooperation given by the business owners, partly through their participation in the year-round seasonal BGS activities," added Hj Mumi Haji Mohamed.

Another important factor that department stores had to consider was the time frame involved.

"This year, the buying period was shortened. People only had 10 days or so to shop before the Raya celebrations," the manager said.

He felt the time frame should have been "lengthened" to allow shoppers more time to make full use of the Grand Sale.

"Either that, or payday should have been brought forward a few days to compensate for the limited time frame," he said. "Last year, shoppers got three weeks or so to do their shopping during the Grand Sale."

Some shoppers agreed with his statements on this year's time frame being too short for any "serious shopping".

"It would have been nice if we had more time to do our shopping," said one person. "I mean, with all the crazy discounts here and there, it would be hard to get everything ready before Raya." -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin