The Business of Firecrackers



I don’t understand this business. For the past two years, a makeshift tent goes up in the barren land near Iblur flyover during Diwali. Big hoardings indicate firecrackers being sold in this shop, run out of the makeshift tent. The service road is filled with cars during Diwali. Sometimes, there are cars parked on the Outer Ring Road disregarding traffic rules and safety concerns. The inconvenience to other be damned if it suits my convenience!

Last year, I ended up buying crackers from this shop after Diwali. I fail to remember how I reached there on the day after Diwali. On reaching the bill counter, I had an anxiety attack when I saw the prices scribbled on the notepad by the person at the counter. It was way beyond my budget. After writing down the prices and tabulating them, they applied a strange formula on the total. Suddenly, the total price were halved! In fact, it had more than halved! That turned out to the price of the firecrackers that I had to pay. The new figure brought a instant rush of relief and I quickly disregarded the strange formula. I didn’t care much and attributed the strange formula as a desperate bid by the shopkeeper to sell his stock.

This year, I went to same shop before Diwali. The same exercise was repeated. First, they wrote down the prices. They added all the prices. Then, they applied the same strange formula. The total was halved. Then they rounded off again to a neat number! Regardless of which day you buy, the shopkeeper is giving you a discount! Then, why the elaborate ploy of calculating a big number and then applying the strange formula?

Picture Courtesy: http://www.sparshflowers.com

Tags: Musings,Diwali,Firecrackers

Comments

  1. Thats there trade secret to satisfy customers :D

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  2. @Manjunath - Thanks for dropping by! You are right and I'm realizing the secrets now. :)

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  3. Nona, This is a top secret. Don’t disclose this please. Actually the strange formulae which they applied is (total_Price/2) ...

    :D .. lol ...

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  4. @Jithu - Thank you! I will also share a secret in return. I applied your formula. It didn't work. Keep it yourself... okay? :)

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  5. It works. Just like a product priced at Rs 499.95

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  6. It definitely works for the vendor, considering that a lot of people just like you bought crackers from the guy and walked out with a smile after a brief (minor) attack! Guaranteed repeat purchase and word-of-mouth too :)

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  7. If you can go to Hosur next diwali you will get crackers for 90% discount on MRP. I just dont know what kind of an MRP it is.

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  8. Same technic that they use in Megamart and Brand factory when they put boards like buy 2 get 20 free :-).. we feel it is a great offer but the final laugh is for the vendor.

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  9. Must be some local neta involved and the business in the tent must be a front only.

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  10. Seriously, so true!!! And I also wonder if the industry works for just one festival - diwali!!!

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  11. I had the same experience this diwali in Pune...

    :)

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  12. @Dominic - Do we feel good when the price suddenly plunges and go on a buying spree?

    @Radha - It works for sure! You should see the crowd queuing up!

    @RGB - Yes! You are right! :)

    @JoshiMukard - I heard about the Hosur deal! But, the prices here also are comparable if you factor in the pains of travelling there and coming back!

    @Harish - :)

    @BKC - The crackers seem to be from a famous company! I have been travelling in Tamil Nadu and I can see the same hoarding everywhere! The tent might be the local "big" man's! I don't think anyone can set up a shop without "blessings" in that area!

    @$$ - You have a point there! Is there any other festival in which we burst crackers? Vishu?? That is specific to Kerala!

    @Vivek - :)

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  13. Nice Blog! and thanks for sharing this information.

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