By Ummi Intan Masarrah
KUCHING: Hawkers at the Kubah Ria Market here are facing challenges to sustaining their businesses in light of rising living costs and changing consumer spending patterns.
Sarawak Tribune interviewed some of the traders at the market and found that the traders, many of whom have been operating there for years, have had to adjust their business strategies to cope with current economic conditions.
For Dayang Mutiara Abang Bolhassan, who has been trading for nearly 20 years, she said her business performed strongly in its early years before being severely affected during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The first five years were very good, but since COVID-19, sales dropped significantly. Now it has recovered to about 60 to 70 per cent, but profit is still only around 30 per cent,” she said.
She added that visitor turnout has been noticeably slower in recent times, especially after festive seasons when consumers tend to tighten their spending.
“People usually wait until the end of the month to come. After Raya, it is usually quieter,” she said.
To manage rising costs, she has reduced her stock intake as part of a more cautious business approach.
“Before, I would take 10 to 20 bags, but now only about three bags. Once I sell and recover capital, then I restock,” she explained.
Meanwhile, Addriana, who has been operating for 10 years, said rising prices of goods remain a constant challenge affecting profit margins.
“Prices keep increasing. If we follow old prices, we cannot make profit. The increase also depends on festive seasons,” she said.
She noted that visitor numbers have slightly declined, possibly due to paid parking, as well as changing consumer habits, with many now preferring online shopping or cheaper morning markets.
“Our main challenge is competition from wholesale markets that sell at lower prices,” she added.
For Bobby, who has been trading for 15 years, rising costs particularly for imported vegetables have increased as usual, but he said the situation remains manageable.
“Costs have gone up, especially imported goods. But visitors are still steady,” he said.
He added that although profits are modest, they remain sufficient to sustain daily operations.
“There is still profit, just enough to get by. So far, the challenges have not had a major impact on us,” he said.
Overall, hawkers at Kubah Ria Market continue to adapt to economic pressures through careful cost management and flexible business strategies while striving to remain competitive in a changing retail environment.
