Chinese footwear with better finishing attracts Eid shoppers

Imported footwear, mostly from China, has flooded the city markets as there are a few local companies to supply shoes with better finishing, traders said.
Traders said more than 60 per cent of total non-branded footwear are imported from China.
Besides, Italian and Indian shoes also have a share in the footwear market though it is insignificant, they added.
Shopkeepers said there are a few companies like Bata, Apex and Bay that have a market reputation and have a good customer base.
Because of limited designs of locally-manufactured shoes, people are turning to the Chinese products that are of varied quality and designs, they added.   
Visiting different markets of the city, this correspondent found that most of footwear showcased in the markets like Chowrongi Shopping Centre at Elephant Road and Polwel Super Market at Nayapaltan area are imported from China.
Besides, shops in other markets were found selling China- made shoes along with local ones.
"We've imported most of our footwear from China as finishing of Chinese goods is very fine," Abu Abdullah, proprietor of Great Wall Fashion at Polwel Super Market, told the FE.
"There is a perception about poor quality of Chinese goods, but everyone should know that if an importer wants quality products, he or she can find it in China. It depends on quality of customers and mentality of traders," he added.
"Local producers can neither compete with their overseas rivals in finishing of their products nor in prices. So how can we help them?" S M Humayun Kabir, another shop-owner, questioned.
"Besides, there are a wide range of imported shoes, which we can never find in the local market. So, we have to depend on imported ones," he added.
According to Mr Kabir, there are shoes in the market priced between Tk 1,500 to Tk 8,000 depending on their design and quality.
Samad Abdullah, owner of Nancy Shoes at Chowrongi Shopping Centre, said local companies, mainly non-branded ones, cannot produce quality shoes with good finishing, which has forced them to sell imported goods.
"Both prices and quality of locally-made footwear are not competitive. Customers during their festival shopping initially select shoes with good finishing and then consider quality. The prices of imported ones also cheaper than those of local ones," he added.
However, showroom manager of Masko Shoes, a local footwear making company, said they cannot compete with Chinese rivals in quality and finishing due to technological advancement of China.
"The government should take an immediate initiative to save hundreds of small capital based local companies. If they get financial support at a single digit interest rate or increase duty on imported footwear then local companies will be able to import high-tech machinery to be competitive in the market," he added.
Meanwhile, transactions in the city's footwear outlets have picked up ahead of the holy Eid.
Most of the sales personnel were so busy dealing with customers that they could hardly talk to this correspondent.
"People usually go to buy footwear after doing other shopping. Now Ramadan is ending. People are now coming in groups to the footwear outlets for their last-minute shopping," Rumana Siddique, a sales girl at the city's Rapa Plaza, told the FE.
"We are happy with the sales turn out. If everything goes accordingly, then we are expecting a best seasonal business in the last couple of years," she added.
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