Suspended Sales: One of the alternatives that traders have found to avoid losing money. Photo Guillermo Rodriguez Adami
Argentine merchants and businessmen, those who risk their assets when making decisions, have been glued to their cell phones since Monday, communicating with colleagues, trying to invent the way to work while this earthquake lasts which has the daily economy turned upside down.
The resignation of Martín Guzmán on Saturday, the uncertainty of the 24 hours without the Minister of Economy and the definition in favor of Silvina Batakis have put the country on alert. In the financial market, in SMEs, in large companies, in homes, they expected the explosion of the blue dollar. And it exploded: it went from $ 239 on Friday, to $ 260 on Monday, $ 252 on Tuesday and this Wednesday for $ 255.
The first reaction was curb sales, but as the days went by, those who didn’t have the back to wait began to devise ways to trade without losing so much money. And the commercial chains had to check one by one new ways of selling from each supplier.
“We are in a world without rules. The government doesn’t put them onso companies put them as they can think “, says an SME entrepreneur in the graphics sector. In the list of” new rules “there is everything: from remarks of 10, 20 and up to 45%, a quotas of weekly sales, or agreed sales “dollar of the moment”.
Once the stores adjusted their prices and continued to sell. Photo Emmanuel Fernandez
Here is a brief inventory of the strategies found by some traders.
regular sale: an ink and graphic supply distributor who stopped sales on Monday, resumed business without applying any increases, an oddity in the industry.
Without increase but with quota: A medical equipment supplier sells for the same price on Friday, but with a share of a certain amount of money per week, so buyers don’t stock up.
Most expensive prices in Eleven. Photo Guillermo Rodriguez Adami
Only acquaintances: there are companies that only ship those who were already their customers and do not take new ones.
Dollar of the moment: a fabric supplier sells with a small percentage of the official dollar, but taking the price at the exact moment the money is transferred.
Observations up to 40%: In El Once, posters have been seen in clubs these days saying “all prices up 10%”. Or 20%. Or 30%. A garbage can sells 43% more than its price 10 days ago, a random value. Just to have a point of comparison, so far this year inflation was 29.3%.
Adjustments of 30% in the rooms facing the street. Photo Guillermo Rodriguez Adami
Dollar divided: a spare parts shop in Warnes has the idea that the country is experiencing an exchange rate split and that there will be one dollar for non-essential products, which will be bought at a similar value to the MEP’s dollar. This exchange scored 35%.
Who does not sell: a group of companies with multiple backs is not selling yet. Or they are delivering goods with a delivery note, with price to be negotiated in the future. Everyone is waiting for the next steps of the government. They know they won’t be able to continue like this beyond this week. The government needs to know.
NEITHER
Natasha Esquivel
Source: Clarin
