Even stalls selling essential goods are experiencing sluggish sales at Ba Chieu Market in Binh Thanh District.
Ba Chieu Market
Duong Mai, a pork seller, said that she used to sell 200-300kg of pork daily, but now she barely sells 50kg. The rise in pork prices has contributed to the slowdown in sales.
The few remaining traders at the market during Tet mainly depend on loyal customers and bulk orders from restaurants.
Customers to Tet confectionery stalls have dropped remarkably, with the majority being regular buyers.
Customers to Tet confectionery stalls have dropped remarkably
Fashion and footwear stalls face the same situation, with only 2-3 sets of clothes sold daily.
Fashion stalls face sluggish sales
"I've been selling here for over 50 years, but this is the worst Tet season I've ever seen. Despite offering big discounts, with VND99,000 for a shirt and VND200,000 for a Vietnamese traditional long dress (Ao Dai), I still can't attract customers," a trader lamented.
At Hoa Binh Market in District 5, traders also witness stagnant sales.
According to traders, clothing typically sells well from the start of the 12th lunar month each year, but this year has been poor.