Street-smart vendor sells wallets printed with abolished currency notes

A Chandni Chowk wallet seller used a superb marketing strategy to sell his wallets after Prime Minister’s Tuesday announcement on demonetisation. By printing the wallets with the now banned notes of the two denominations — Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 — the seller, refusing to reveal his identity, drew the attention of a large number of customers. Ironically, the man revealed that he is selling one Rs 1,000 note (now banned) imprinted wallet for a mere Rs 25.

Standing at the backside of the New Lajpat Rai market area in North Delhi’s Chandni Chowk area on Wednesday afternoon, the man in his thirties, was seen selling these wallets. Standing with a large iron trunk full of wallets imprinted with Rs 100, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes, he shared his thoughts of using this idea to attract people so that his goods are sold out faster.

Talking to Millennium Post, the man added: “Since 11 am, people have started coming to the market. Although today (Wednesday), the crowd is less but all those who are coming here are not buying anything. A lot of people came to see the wallets. They were amazed by the Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 printed wallets but I barely managed to sell five of the. Overall, there has not been much sale.”

On being asked why he is refusing to reveal his name, the man suggested: “I might get arrested. Let me earn my livelihood (Madam, mujhe ye bechna hai. Roti kamani hai).”  

Meanwhile, making most of the decision by the Prime Minister to ban the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes, some e-commerce giants are reportedly selling wallets printed with Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. For instance, at Amazon India, one can easily find a Rs 1,000 note printed wallet for Rs 119 while at eBay India, one can easily find a similar kind of wallet for Rs 350.