Small businesses in Ho Chi Minh City are suffering losses, some places are closing shops to avoid inspection.

(Dan Tri) - Shops in Ho Chi Minh City are closed before the peak of checking for smuggled and counterfeit goods. Some small businesses are suffering losses due to reduced consumer demand and high tax rates.

According to Dan Tri reporters , a series of kiosks on the 2nd and 3rd floors of An Dong Market (District 5) - one of the largest wholesale markets in Ho Chi Minh City - are closed.

Many small traders said they had to temporarily suspend their business due to lack of invoices and documents for products imported from regular suppliers. In addition, the serious decline in revenue and the disappearance of wholesale suppliers made trading increasingly difficult, leading to losses.

This slump has not only occurred in recent months but has lasted for more than a year. Many small traders have been forced to return their stalls or find ways to change their business model.

“Many people have switched to online sales, some even had to return to their hometowns and quit their jobs. The number of customers has decreased sharply, we are losing money on top of losing money,” said Ms. Minh, a clothing store owner.

At the counters that are still open, there are only a few employees on duty, mainly to look after the goods or "kill time" by surfing the phone, watching movies, and chatting.

Of the total of about 2,700 stalls at An Dong market, there are currently a series of stalls that have to hang signs for rent or transfer.

Similarly, at Saigon Square shopping center (District 1), dozens of kiosks were also continuously closed after a surprise inspection at the end of May. Many vendors, although present at the counters, did not dare to open for sale, due to concerns about surprise inspections and goods not having enough valid documents.

These kiosks previously specialized in selling fashion items such as clothes, watches, shoes, and eyeglasses that were "imitations" of famous brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, YSL, etc.

During a raid on counterfeit goods at Saigon Square on May 29, authorities seized thousands of counterfeit products of famous brands, including Rolex, Longines, Patek Philippe watches; handbags and leather wallets of LV, Gucci, Dior, YSL, Chanel, Celine and many Gucci-branded eyewear models.

On Nguyen Gian Thanh Street (District 10) - known as the largest "wholesale drug market" in Ho Chi Minh City - many stores have also closed or fallen into a state of deserted business and lack of customers. This situation occurs in the context of authorities stepping up control of illegal drug trading.

Previously, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health issued an urgent document requesting a review and report on drugs, functional foods and medical equipment.

Accordingly, medical examination and treatment facilities must quickly review and check the list of drugs, functional foods and medical equipment being used and traded, to ensure that there are no products of unknown origin or not yet permitted for circulation.

The fashion business area at Ben Thanh Market still maintains a certain bustle. However, according to traders, purchasing power has decreased sharply.

Not only at small stores and retailers, fake handbags and wallets of big brands, along with perfumes of unknown origin are still sold openly at Ben Thanh market and many central streets of Ho Chi Minh City.

Many handbags at the market are of unknown origin, counterfeiting famous brands such as LV, Dior, Gucci, and are sold for only a few hundred thousand dong.

The sluggish business situation is also happening in many other traditional markets in Ho Chi Minh City. Faced with this situation, traders expressed their desire to receive practical support solutions from the authorities to revive their business activities. Acknowledging these difficulties, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade said it is gradually implementing policies to reform the traditional market system.

To improve the effectiveness of the fight against counterfeit and fake goods in the coming time, the Ho Chi Minh City Market Management Department affirmed that it will continue to closely follow the direction of competent authorities on preventing smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/tieu-thuong-tphcm-buon-ban-gong-lo-mot-so-noi-dong-tiem-ne-kiem-tra-20250608162656587.htm