KOCHI: The identity of the sports stores in the state until two weeks ago was the jerseys of teams like Argentina, Brazil, France, England, Portugal, Spain, and Germany that adorned their stands. In a bid to cash in on the high demand during the World Cup, store owners stockpiled large quantities of jerseys, and they expected the brisk business to continue until the end of the tournament. But the ‘unexpected’ ouster of some of the major teams halfway through the event came as a severe blow to them. Now, large stocks of unsold jerseys have piled up in the shops, resulting in huge financial loss.
“Unlike the previous football World Cup seasons, we witnessed a huge demand for jerseys much before the tournament began. The most sought-after jerseys were that of Argentina and Brazil. Though we expected the frenzy to last until the end of the World Cup, people began to change their minds after their favourite teams were eliminated in the quarterfinals. A large quantity of jerseys of Brazil, Portugal, Germany and Spain have piled up in the shop,” said a staff member of a sports shop at Broadway in Kochi.
According to the store owners, around 300–500 jerseys were sold from each shop in the initial days of the match, and this prompted them to increase the stock. “The exit of major teams came as a shocker to us. The sales declined drastically and a large number of jerseys are lying unsold in the shop. We have suffered a huge financial loss,” said Moidu, the owner of Star Sports shop on Broadway.
Rajeesh, who runs ‘Changathikoottam’ shop in Palakkad, said the plans of store owners were ruined after Brazil, Spain and Portugal failed to enter the last leg of the tournament. “We procured jersey for around Rs 220 from Tamil Nadu and other states, expecting huge demand. But now we are facing losses. We still hope that football lovers will buy jersey and thereby, reduce the extent of our loss,” said Rajeesh.
Discount sales
Some shop owners are trying to reduce their losses by selling the jerseys on discount price. “The jerseys that were sold for around Rs 250 are now on sale for jut Rs 150. If we are able to clear the stock, the loss can be reduced,” said a sports shop owner at Kadavanthra in Kochi.