Posted by: Editor on Sep 05, 2005 – 11:54 AM
shopping They may not be the real stuff, but the knock-off Gucci, Fendi and Louis Vuitton bags in the straw market are selling like the proverbial hotcakes. Unlike the Bahamianhandcrafted straw tote bags, the foreign goods are said to be what the visitors are asking for and purchasing.
“I can sell at least ten of these bags before I can sell one of the local hand-made stuff,” one straw vendor told the Guardian Thursday.
“It’s not like we are not trying to make the sale on the local products, but the visitors know what they want when they come here. They ask for these bags and all we can do is keep up our stock,” she said.
Take a walk through the downtown attraction, and one will discover that the majority of the over 400 stalls are lined from top to bottom with the American goods. In some cases, it is understood that these items are sold for about $40 to $50 and up, far, far less than the original items.
“In this straw market, we do still have native straw products, but we are trying our best to accommodate every tourist because we are catering to everyone and not all tourists like straw,” said another vendor.
“If I had my way, I would only sell the straw products, but baby I have rent and other bills to pay and I have to make money. My family comes first, so if I have to sell the American goods to make a living, that is what I am going to do,” said one vendor, who wished to be identified as Kaye.
Questioned as to why some of the sellers have labeled their straw bag products as “husbands”, one straw vendor burst into laughter, saying: “They don’t want nothing hanging around their stalls for too long like husbands.”
Drawing a surprised look from a browsing female visitor, the vendor nevertheless, explained “its reality,” adding, “We have to stock up on what sells, and the Gucci and Fendi bags go like hotcakes.”
In a brief statement to the Guardian, Ministry of Tourism News Bureau Chief Edwin Lightbourn, said the ministry has always encouraged authentic Bahamian products and craft.
“In this regard, you know this is an area that has huge potential to tourism. There is any number of authentic Bahamian works out there and we need to figure out with persons involved in this business how best these wares and craft can be promoted through the linkages in tourism.
“From our perspective, the more Bahamian-made straw work etc., that can be found and sold from the straw market the better,” Mr Lightbourn said.
Further, he explained, the straw market is an institution that has been here for a long time, becoming one of the principal Bay Street attractions, “and we would like to have it as authentically as possible.”
With respect to the stagnant sales of the local goods, he said that more attention needed to be placed on their promotion, packaging and quality, and, “I am certain and confident in the fact that Bahamians can produce quality work and once they do that, I think there is a market for it.”
The Guardian was told that for years, the sale of the imitation products has been a thorn in the sides of Bay Street merchants who carry the authentic goods.
Manager at Fendi, June Hall, said, “I found it very strange that it’s against the law for copies to be sold here and they are up and down everywhere.
“I think that since something is against the law, why is it being allowed? I feel that some people (not particularly the vendors) are slightly dishonest and tell people that they are real and they are not. We are the only Fendi representatives in The Bahamas and Fendi is very, very particular and specific about who sells their products.”
However, Mrs Hall said, for someone who is looking for the real item, the knock-offs are really not going to affect their business.
The Guardian attempted to obtain a comment from John Bull’s Marketing Manager, Inga Bowleg, on the effect on the sale of their Gucci products, but she was not in office.
Note: Source: Nassau Guardian