Washing machines get cheaper, but much fewer people buy them now
Minus 75 USD for half a year —this is how the prices for household equipment decreased in Belarus. However, the population's purchasing power decreased by 90%!
The importers confessed to Euroradio that in Summer they included the currency risk into the prices.
A washing machine Bosch has become 75 USD cheaper since the middle of Summer!
It used to be 940 USD, and it is 865 USD now. Representatives of Internet shops
say that they are forced to decrease the prices.
"In Summer, people got
carried away by the boom, there was a great demand, so we increased the prices.
You know, when there are many excess roubles it always reflects on import.
There were many of them then, people brought the money here, they bought
imported goods, especially household equipment..."
At present, the competition remained the same but people have much less money. The importers struggle for their niches as persistently as they can. One of the ways is shaking down the prices.
The prices for household equipment have decreased by 18%(!) since Summer. The
importers included the currency risk into the Summer prices, explains a big
supplier to Belarus, to Euroradio.
"Domatechnika":
"Of course we included the rate risk. Everyone wanted to be extra safe
then - we calculated the rate of approximately 10 000. Now everyone calculates
by the real, stable rate - 8 500, so this is this very 18% difference".
The suppliers say they feel safer now. However, they stay alerted all the time
and do not relax.
"Domatechnika": "The syndrome remained, we are watching everything now, including macro-economic indices as we understand them..."
The prices for household equipment go down, but people still do not buy it, the
importers complain. Although December is the best month for sales...
"Dansis" company: "Today, if we have a look
at last year, the trade makes a small part of the previous percentage. If we
take last year as 100%, it will be only 10% this December, and this is the best
month for sales of household equipment".
The suppliers assure that the prices will not grow till the New Year. However,
a small increase is possible after the New Year.
vashmagazin.by:
"The prices will grow a bit after the New Year - by 3-5%, for all the
goods assembled in Europe. European goods always get more expensive after the
New Year".
