Shops at Ninh Hiep Market in Hanoi are closed on May 30.
Located in Gia Lam District, approximately 20 kilometres from central Hanoi, Ninh Hiep is known for its vast selection of textiles, clothing, fashion accessories, and footwear. With tens of thousands of square metres of retail space, the market is divided into several zones with hundreds of stores lining the surrounding streets. In its prime, the market welcomed thousands of traders and individual shoppers daily.
However, recent visits reveal a stark contrast. Many stores have shuttered their doors, and foot traffic has dropped significantly, with confused customers turning away from locked storefronts.
Shops close in anticipation of inspections?
According to Dantri reporters, only a few stores on the first floor of the market remain open, while the second floor is almost entirely shut down, with many booths covered in tarpaulins.
In the role of a wholesaler, Dantri spoke to Nguyen Ha, a vendor with over a decade of experience at Ninh Hiep. She revealed that her store has been closed for more than a week as a precaution against regulatory inspections.
“I’m still accepting online orders. Customers can place orders through our Facebook groups. But I don’t know when I’ll reopen the shop,” she said.
Ha noted that May and June used to be peak season, with high demand for summer and holiday clothing. “This year is completely different,” she added.
Other vendors in the market also began closing from May 20, citing the same reason: to avoid inspection teams.
Pham Quyen, another trader, said the fashion business is no longer as lucrative as it once was.
“Most of the goods here are low-cost fashion items sourced from local workshops. Before COVID-19, business was strong. But now, with people spending less, sales have slowed,” she said.
She added that the rise of e-commerce platforms such as Shopee and TikTok has significantly reduced customer traffic to traditional markets, causing hardship for many vendors.
Still, she said the current mass closure is unprecedented.
“Our goods mostly lack proper documentation of origin or brand certification. With authorities now cracking down on counterfeit and unlicensed products, many vendors are afraid of fines and product seizures,” she explained.
A representative from the Ninh Hiep Commune People’s Committee confirmed that many vendors in the area have suspended business recently. However, the official said the exact reasons for the closures have yet to be officially determined.
