The street vendors are the favourites for most of the Ranchites even after many branded showrooms being opened in the city.
Buyers of all economic class prefer to shop at Main Road, considered as the hub of roadside vendors as it is one stop for complete family shopping at a cheapest price. The vendors’ stalls are stretched from Shastri market to Daily market displaying apparels, foot wears, cosmetics, home decors, crockery items, watches etc.
Neha Garg, housewife, says “Flee market is my first priority for shopping as I meet my need here at a cheapest price. Texture and quality of the product is also satisfactory moreover, I do not have to run from one place to another as everything is available at one lane itself”.
Nidhi Gupta, student of women college, said, “I stay away from my home, so shopping in this flee market is economical for me. Stoles which are priced in shops for 100 bucks are available here in just 55 rupees after negotiation. A wide range of stuff is also available in this market”.
The market place is also a preferable destination for simple vendors and businessmen with qualified degree. Stall owner of a ladies corner, Sanjay Kumar is an MBA degree holder. “This is a business of less investment with more profits. I find it a best way of making oneself employed rather than sitting at home with degree as unemployed,” says Sanjay.
Vendors here also present variety in terms of genre. Some stick to one item throughout the year while others switch from one to another quite frequently and with the change of season.
Md. Salim, “I change my selling Product with the change of season. Presently I am selling belts. But when summer will be at peak I will try my hands in mango juice whereas in winters I will switch to woollen garments”. Nevertheless constant congestion and encroachment have been the issues attached with the roadside shopper’s paradise.
“Though in the name of encroachment the police are trying to remove these roadside vendors but still the craze for such markets will never fade among customers like me, looking for cheaper items with lots of variety,” says Sunita Devi who is a frequent visitor.