Gurugram cracker traders offer free cab rides, EMI options to shoppers

Wholesalers believe that free rides will attract customers as their shops are located on the outskirts of the city, and the bumper-to-bumper traffic in Gurugram dissuade many from navigating the festive rush to reach the markets in Gadoli, Sohna, Pataudi, and Farrukhnagar

The competition is heating up in the cracker market in Gurugram this year with wholesalers going all out to woo customers and bulk purchasers. Business insiders said at least 15 wholesalers have offered pickup and drop facilities to customers who agree to purchase firecrackers for ₹20,000 or more.

Shoppers at a “green” cracker shop in Gurugram. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

Wholesalers believe that free rides will attract customers as their shops are located on the outskirts of the city, and the bumper-to-bumper traffic in Gurugram dissuade many from navigating the festive rush to reach the markets in Gadoli, Sohna, Pataudi, and Farrukhnagar.

The wholesalers have also offered to ferry these potential customers to nearby ATMs to withdraw cash in case they aren’t able to make online payments.

But police are also on their toes to crack down on such buyers as all types of crackers, including the less polluting green crackers, are banned in Delhi. The police have formed teams and set up barricades to check the smuggling of firecrackers across state lines into Delhi. “We are checking vehicles at random and have recovered firecrackers from several of them. We will intensify checking in areas near these periphery market. Anyone found transporting crackers will face strict action,” said Preet Pal Sangwan, assistant commissioner of police (crime).

The shopkeepers said the wholesale prices are different for buyers from Noida and Ghaziabad and they factor in the distance before offering them deals.

Ram Kumar, a manager of a firecrackers wholesale shop, said they are offering free cab services to Noida residents who purchase crackers for ₹35,000 and Delhi residents who purchase for ₹30,000. “We started this because we knew people were averse to travelling long distances in the festive rush. So we have tied up with private cab drivers who are offering pickup and drop services for ₹1,800 for a round trip to Delhi and ₹2,100 for a round trip to Noida and Ghaziabad,” he said.

Amit Saini, a salesman of a shop in Gadoli, said they have suffered huge losses in the past two years of Covid and they were offering free rides to woo customers and recoup some of their losses. “Our wholesale market is not that popular as Delhi’s Sadar Bazaar; so we thought to advertise on social media platforms and started offering free cab services. And just like that, the footfall has increased in the past 10 days and we have already met our targets of the month,” he said.

Apart from cab facility, shopkeepers are providing easy payment options and EMI too. “We have made different counters for cash, debit/credit card, UPI and wallet payments. Many times, ATM cards do not work and so we are providing assistance to reach ATM booths to withdraw cash,” said Ashok Kumar, owner of Starlight Crackers in Gadoli.

Kumar said finance options are also available to those who purchase crackers for more than ₹10,000. They have representatives of private financers at their shop till Diwali. “We get 10% commission for the amount financed; so this is an add-on income,” he said.

Also, more than 600 people have been hired for a month by the traders in Gadoli to stand on the main road and woo customers to their shops. “For any sale brought in by us, we get 10% of the total billed amount. This is the only month where we earn more than ₹10,000 a day,” said Ravi Kumar a resident of Sector 37B, who has been working in the market for the past 10 years.

Kishore Khatri, another salesperson, said, “We have been asked to convince people to buy more crackers to increase sales this year and to sell off the old stock. The old stock is almost over at all places and new orders are coming in daily,” he said.

Sangwan said they were not aware of the cab facility being provided by shopkeepers and they will keep a watch on private vehicles from the wholesale market. “Providing cab services or financing is not illegal but this has just come to our notice,” he said.