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.
15 Comments
Sexymama
So where sells the blow up toys for adults????? heeeee heee heee….
Pat
Actually, some shops DID offer 50% off their mooncakes last weekend! And I bet its even cheaper now.
The bad thing about selling seasonal stuff is that the rest of year business really sucks – just look at the Wo Lai Yeh Shop in SS2 that sells bak kua.
simon
sexymama – i believe there is a shop in sg. wang….
pat – i dun think so. i think wo lai yeh makes excellent biz all year round. but come CNY is astronomical.
Jayelle
hahahahahha.. it’s a wonder how come you’re not writing for any newspaper/publication yet.
You’ll entertain the nation!:)
lilian
I am one of those who buy Christmas ornaments AFTER Christmas.
Din
I am regular pirated VCD and DVD shopper. Bonuslink should offer me points for these things.
Alex
Pirated DVDs rock.
simon
jayelle – eh, then it will all be censored! 🙂
lilian – to use during Chinese New Year…?
din – that one you wait another 10 years la 🙂
Alex – 😮
Clifford
Hey you forgot November:
Big timers – sell Raya carpets
Small timer – sell dates and buka puasa staff
simon
clifford – i’ve yet to see a chinese dude sell dates and carpets. but one day soon, if there’s money in it!
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