Licensed traders operating from designated shopping centres in Bulawayo say their businesses are collapsing as shops selling low-cost Chinese goods continue to dominate the Zimbabwean market.
Across major cities like Harare and Bulawayo, these outlets have filled the streets with inexpensive items ranging from clothing to kitchenware.
While their low prices attract consumers, local shop owners complain that these “China shops” are pushing them out of business, a trend they say is also threatening the survival of local manufacturers.
During a survey of shopping centres by CITE, Rudo Ncube, who sells clothes in a Bulawayo Central Business District mall, said before “China shops” populated the city centre, she could sell three or four authentic pieces of clothing in a week, which was enough to pay her rent and cover other necessities.
Now, she struggles to make a profit as customers increasingly prefer the cheaper alternatives.
“People tell us, why should they buy clothes which are more expensive in shops when the same type of clothes are cheaper in these China shops. It is painful to experience because this business is what feeds our families,” said Ncube.
She noted that these shops, which were once concentrated downtown, have now spread throughout the city centre.
“Now I am lucky if I even sell one item of clothing. People used to wait for us to open our shops. We would even have crowds filling up our shops. On a good week I would finish selling all my stock in one or two days, which is not the case anymore,” Ncube said.
Another shop owner in Bulawayo, Tendai Chikowore, who mainly sells quality kitchenware, said people now prefer buying from the shops selling Chinese goods because of their affordability and wide variety.
“We cannot compete with that, and every day our sales are dropping. Even if we work hard, the money we make is not enough. These shops are everywhere, and people trust them more. It is becoming very difficult to continue with this business,” said Chikowore.
The price difference is not hard to ignore, as the cheapest kitchenware in a ‘China shop’ starts from US$0.20, while in other shops, it starts from US$3.
However, many consumers say the proliferation of these ‘China shops’ has been a relief during tough economic times, with some observing that their success is a direct response to the country’s “tough” economy.
Nomsa Mpofu, a mother of four from Bulawayo, said she prefers the new outlets because they are affordable.
“Money is very tight these days. At least in the ‘China shop’ I can buy shoes for my children and kitchen things with the little I have. Even if the quality doesn’t last long, at least I can replace things easily without spending much,” said Mpofu.
“Maybe this is why the shops are growing and increasing because people always spend their money there.”
Another resident, Linda Mhlanga, said she now buys most of her clothes from these affordable shops.
“At the China shops I just walk in and choose what I want for a very cheap price. The prices are way cheaper than most of the clothes sold in other shops, so it makes more sense for me to buy from a China shop. Compared to other shops, with US$20 I can get four pairs of shoes, but in ideal shops I can only buy one pair of shoes,” said Mhlanga.
“With the little money one has you must make the money cater for all your children. Even if the goods are poor quality you have to think of providing for all at once.”
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