Threatened by the onslaught of malls, the small traders are now looking for ways and means to fight back. This is evident from the attempts the small traders make to lure customers.

In Mumbai, the retail traders of dry fruits are banking on a novel method to increase their business and, in the process, to give a good fight to the big malls.

If this effort pays, similar experiments can be expected from retails traders in other cities.

In a rare step, the Mumbai Mewa Masala Merchants Association, a little known trade body comprising about 60 traders dealing mainly in dry fruits with retail outlets in Masjid Bunder area, has decided to launch a shopping festival this year from August 25 to November 14.

The aim is to aggressively sell dry fruits over an extended period of over ten weeks to coincide with the series of major festivals such as Ganesh Chathurthi, Navrathri and Diwali, when demand for dry fruits expands manifold.

Small-time dry fruit retailers perceive the mushrooming shopping malls as a threat to their trade, and a shopping festival is one sure way to attract customers and promote sales.

Traditional retail traders in dry fruits business argue that they are better-equipped than malls to meet all the specific needs of discerning customers because of the personalised service and the wide variety of items (different qualities, grades, sizes, prices) on sale. On the other hand, malls display limited range of goods.

The customer at the mewa festival is assured of lower prices than at the malls. The association members offer dry fruits at prices said to be 30 per cent lower than at malls.

The association said established retailers were keen to compete in the marketplace on merits.

The Masjid Bunder market itself is almost 200 years old, and was until recently the wholesale market for several commodities. To decongest the city, most wholesale markets were shifted to Vashi (Navi Mumbai) a few years ago.

The 60-odd mewa (dry fruit) merchants who have been in this business for decades have decided to be aggressive in their sales pitch. Customer trust and confidence they have earned over the years will stand them in good stead, they believe.

The association has also managed to tie-up sponsorships for the festival as a large number of customers are expected.

The festival offers something for traders in other cities to learn from. If traders are united and are determined to offer better services than a nearby mall, there is no reason why they will not succeed.