Surat : Offline Clothing Business Struggles as Digital Commerce Expands Rapidly

Surat, October 9: The rapid expansion of digital commerce is severely impacting offline clothing businesses. While large businesses are thriving by adopting both online and offline models, small businesses solely relying on offline trade are facing challenges. Their sales are dwindling day by day, making it difficult for them to even meet their daily expenses.

Half the Business Compared to Last Year: Pravesh Mohta

Pravesh Mohta of Om Swastik Creation, located at Rohit Textile, shared with Loktej that business has been severely affected in recent times. There is hardly any demand for garments, with only a few customers visiting his shop occasionally. He mentioned that as both a garment manufacturer and a trader, he is witnessing a significant drop in business. "Compared to last year’s Diwali season, the current business is almost 40-50% less," he said. He attributed this decline to the growing trend of online shopping, which is taking a toll on small offline businesses.

Big Businesses Always Innovate: Gaurav Bhasin

Gaurav Bhasin, who operates both online and offline, believes that only businesses adopting both models will succeed in the current scenario. He added that smaller traders are often unable to innovate or take risks, while larger traders constantly think of new ways to attract customers. "A business with an annual turnover of ₹5 crore can think about creating new samples and varieties, but smaller businesses can't even consider that," he explained. In contrast, large traders continually innovate, which pays off.

Gaurav also highlighted the changing trends in commerce. Customers today either prefer to shop online or visit showrooms where they can see a wide range of options in terms of variety, price, and range. "Smaller businesses investing between ₹25 to ₹50 lakh are the most affected," he noted, pointing to an Economic Times report indicating that online purchases worth ₹54,500 were made in the past seven days. This, he said, shows the shift in consumer behavior. If customers are short on time, they prefer online shopping, and if they have time, they enjoy shopping with family at showrooms, combining shopping with leisure activities.