After the PASO going to buy elements to get out of the emergency, such as a glue, a famous "little thing" for the house, making a purchase in a paint shop or an appliance house became an odyssey: business without prices and products that increase in the day.
Victoria is 80 years old and was on her granddaughter's arm when she went to her neighborhood hardware store to buy glue. "Everything is wrong, I was always a merchant, but I never experienced this uncertainty. Prices go up and about," he told Clarín. The woman, in addition to expressing her anger, was one of the customers who was taking one of the last glues of the business.
Cristina, owner of the hardware store, explained: "They suspended our orders for glue and we are with the last stocks. We do not know if it will reach us tomorrow, but I do not believe because of the increase that the dollar had today. Before it was 1,500, now it's 1,800."
Merchants, he said, try to juggle prices: "We are a neighborhood business, but we also need to work. If you kill a neighbor with the price, it's a big deal."
Victoria with her granddaughter. The woman took one of the last glues that the hardware store in her neighborhood had in stock. Photo Enrique García Medina
As for the delivery of material, things are also complicated. "There are no prices, there is no delivery of material. The supplier says there is no delivery or there is an increase of 25 to 30%. There are products that we are not selling because we do not have the price, such as everything that is tools or taps. What is a tin bar that was worth 5,900 pesos has now gone to 8,000. The wire increased by 29%," said Luis, an employee of the premises.
In a tour of Patricios Avenue, on the border between La Boca and Barracas, Clarín collected the desolation of merchants of various items linked to the home. "We are like everyone else, waiting. Everything is sold with the price you have today, if you come tomorrow it changes, "said Derlis Martinez, seller of an appliance house.
In an appliance store on Avenida Patricios, vendors were waiting for customers. Photo Enrique García Medina
At first glance the products exhibited are priceless, only those that are ahead, which are "calling" products. "We put a price on those, just for people to come in and ask. We leave that with a fixed price," he explained and added: "Yesterday I sold a 50-inch television at 175,000 pesos, now it is at 230,000."
His local colleague, Ezequiel Luque, alluded to the drastic rise in prices due to Sunday's election results. "The increases were progressive, but after the PASO it was tremendous. From today to morning to this afternoon, televisions, cell phones, computers had an increase of 10%. There are not many people who come. There are customers who come with yesterday's price and ask us how it is possible so much difference, but we have to pass the new price, another one does not fit. "
Patricia Costa was looking at the window of a paint shop. "With today's situation, thank God that last week I bought everything for my house," he told Clarín.
Paint shops, other businesses affected by the rise in prices. Photo Enrique García Medina
At the door of the business, Juan, the salesman, was drinking mate, waiting for a customer to fall. "It's all very quiet, not many people come. Every time we open the business, the prices in the system change us automatically. Something that in the morning was 500 pesos in the afternoon is 1,000," he said.
"From yesterday to today there was a difference in a 20-liter can of paint that went from 60,000 to 80,000. The dollar rises and everything goes up. People are surprised, but this is happening everywhere. The customer's real problem is not a can of paint, because he can buy it at another time, the problem is when he faces it in the supermarket, "he said.
"I'm embarrassed to say the prices," admitted Matias Franco, a salesman at another painting shop on Suarez Avenue.
Updated lists. In a paint shop, they said that every day when they open the prices are already adjusted. Photo Enrique García Medina
"Yesterday there was no list, today they passed me most of the increases and it was 25%. It may be that tomorrow they give me another list, and they already warned me that in 10 days it will increase again. Now I can't order products. Personally, the situation is horrible, it is desperate for many," he said at the end.
ACE
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