The 8 Seasons of Chinese Businesses

Published by simon on September 23, 2005

So the whole mooncake thing is now over. I wonder if all those shopping centres and restaurants had a last minute 50% off clearance sale late Sunday night to get rid of the remaining mooncakes? Just like the traffic summons.

I used to do that some years back, wait for the last minute to take advantage of the everything-must-go sale. Nowadays, the delicacy is becoming more and more expensive. And the other thing that struck me was the mooncake ‘season’ is getting earlier and earlier. It used to be 2 weeks before the actual date, now those posh restaurants start selling more than 2 MONTHS before the festival.

I kid you not.

So, for the Chinese businessman (both big timers and small timers) eager to cash in on the changing seasonal tastes, they can actually form a sales calendar. This is what their calendar would look like:

January & February
Big timers - Sell oranges (now in flimsy paper boxes) or bak kua (dried BBQ meat) for Chinese New Year. If they have REALLY strong clout, then fireworks imported from China.
Small timers – Chinese New Year cards and cutesy décor made from old ang pow packs.

March & April
Big timers – Durians.
Small timers – Langsat and rambutan.

May
Big timers – Bonus time! And the peak of the Malaysian real estate cycle! Time to distribute those home renovation and Mr. Fixit leaflets.
Small timers – Usually found driving around housing estates buying old newspapers, batteries, scrap metal or selling mattresses.

June & July
Big timers – Things are usually pretty slow this time of the year. Sells Chinese prayer paraphernalia for the Hungry Ghost Festival month.
Small timers – sell prawn crackers to people at coffeeshops and restaurants.

August & September
Big timers – Mooncakes, mooncakes and mooncakes. In really fancy wooden /aluminium boxes.
Small timers – Kiddie Pokemon and Doraemon lanterns, sparklers.

November
Big timers - Take full advantage of the school holidays! PS2 games! ‘Educational’ books exhibition at the concourse of shopping centres!
Small timers – Sell beach balls, blow-up toys (for kids, not adults) and cuddly toys at the side of the road. Or small rattan furniture.

December
Big timers - Back to school sale, selling school accessories, stationery and uniforms.
Small timers – Christmas trinkets. Like Santarina cap with fake blond pigtails for little girls. Or Kor Tung (Crossing Winter) cakes at the roadside.

All year round
Big timers – pirated VCDs and DVDs. Always a good money spinner.
Small timers– handphone accessories.

• No Related Post