Location a determining factor at Tamu

LOCATION, location, location. The primary factor in choosing real estate can also determine whether a retail business can record a healthy profit.

For a stall owner operating at Tamu Serambangun in Tutong, the lack of visibility, accessibility and traffic have contributed to a significant reduction in sales.

Roslan Hj Ahmad, who sells crustaceans at the market, said he made better sales when his stall was located behind the Sufri Bolkiah Secondary School a few years ago.

While expressing his appreciation to the government for providing business owners with a better sheltered area to run their stalls comfortably, Roslan would like to see something done to improve customer traffic.

"There are a lot of factors which lead to this problem," he said to The Brunei Times. He said the main factor is the location of the wet market along the blocks at Tamu Serambangun.

The wet market and the vegetable market are not located on the same block, he explained. Therefore, not many customers want to make a detour just to buy fish.

Tamy Serambangun visitors mainly go to the market to have refreshments at the stalls, he said. Only those with "real intention" to shop "would come all the way to the fish market".

"Most of the people who come to Tamu Serambangun just to have refreshments at the stalls and only people who really has the intention to shop would come all the into the fish market," he said.

There is also no easy access from the main gate, he added. Normally, there would be a long queue of cars before customers are able to turn into the market. With this hassle, shoppers would think twice before they decide to shop for fish and other produce at the fish market which is located at the far end of the block.

"Because of these low sales, we (vendors) have to find other initiatives to finish up our stocks," he said. If he cannot finish his stock, Roslan would supply it to other vendors in other areas by selling it a cheaper price.

"This is to avoid wastefulness and the money would then be used again to purchase fresh stock from our supplier and some of the crustaceans are also caught by ourselves," he said.

On a dry financial day, he said he would be lucky if he could make a sale of $20.

However, despite the difficulties, Roslan believes in being patient. "No matter what it is, this is my living and I will have to live with it and find other ways to improve it," said the father of five.

The Brunei Times