It depends on the customers. It is not possible for me to know what the customers like. A customer can like many things. My job is to satisfy the customer. Now, let’s say that you come to my shop to buy the Lakme foundation, but I don’t have this product at my shop. Instead, I have a similar product called Joy Foundation at my shop. In that case, I have to satisfy you first, and then I can convince you to buy the Joy Foundation.
Yes, that is always a common request from my customers - they often ask for discounts. For example, if a customer approaches me and the price of an item is 450 rupees, but they say they can only afford 300 or 350 rupees, I sometimes make adjustments to accommodate their budget if they are interested in purchasing it. The discount I offer depends on the customer and their situation. Let's say you are a customer who is willing to pay the standard price. If I tell you that an item is priced at 500 rupees, you would pay that amount without hesitation. However, if there is another person with you who I feel cannot afford it, I would handle the situation accordingly. For instance, if this saree is priced at 800 rupees, the maximum discount I would offer to you is 50 rupees. I would sell it to you for 750 rupees, considering that you can afford that amount. But if there is someone else who cannot afford that much, I would provide them with a bigger discount.
I determine the profit margin based on the price I paid for the item. The amount I paid for it and the selling price are entirely up to me. I don't have to justify or explain my decisions to anyone because it is my own business. For example, if I bought it for 500 rupees and sell it for 1000 rupees, it is still solely my decision. That's why I don't fixate on specific numbers like selling it for exactly 1000 or 400 rupees. Instead, I make decisions on the spot. I assess the customer and then determine the price accordingly.
For me, the customer is the most important. If there are no customers, then everything else is meaningless because if I don't have customers, what am I going to do with the rest? What is the point of acquiring goods from the vendor if I don't have customers?
The evening time from 5:30 onwards will be very busy. We won't be able to answer the phone either. Evening, the people who have finished work and people returning from school will definitely come and buy stuff. So before going back home, they will buy all the necessary items. There are a few companies in this area where people get off the bus and go home, so on their way home, they will just buy items and go. We also have sales early in the morning. If we open around 5:30 AM, there will be sufficient sales. We are also trying to find a house nearby so we can open the shop that early.
In terms of the increase and decrease of customers, most of the customers have left this place, resulting in a reduction in the number of customers. The sales have declined as the old customers have departed. Previously, there used to be good sales, but now it mainly caters to local people and Hindi-speaking individuals. The reason behind this is the lack of job opportunities in the company. Only if they find work, we will also be able to increase our sales. Therefore, the business is currently very slow.