Sales spike as weekend crowd responds to Marina Bay bazaar vendor's video
Sales at a corndog stall at the Marina Bay National Day Festival Fair surged over the weekend, after its owner posted an impassioned plea on TikTok urging public support.
Hazel Chen, 28, who runs Kwazy Korndog with her husband Jay Lam, 30, told The New Paper that sales on Saturday and Sunday far exceeded previous days - thanks to the viral traction of her video and the media coverage that followed.
"I wouldn't want to share the exact amount but sales on Saturday was twice that of the previous Saturday (which was $560). On Sunday, we did close to $1,000, compared to $17 last Sunday," she said.
Ms Chen added that while it's unlikely they will break even on their $8,000 rental - about $500 a day - the response from the public has been encouraging.
"We are optimistic that the loss won't be $10,000 as I had feared, and it could be reduced to half, thanks to the support shown so far," she said.
She posted the 66-second video on July 31 after dismal takings in the early days of the fair. Sales had started at $560 on Day 1, but then plummeted - $17 on Day 2, $14 on Day 3, $21 on Day 4 and $32 on Day 5.
It has since been watched more than 730,000 times, garnering more than 26,000 likes.
"There was a rise in footfall, noticeably so on Saturday and Sunday. When asked why they came to the event, most said it was due to the articles and the video," said Ms Chen.
On Aug 2, she posted a follow-up clip thanking Singaporeans for their support, citing a "small increase" in footfall and praising netizens for showing the SG60 spirit.
"Many of you who personally came to buy from us yesterday, thank you so much. We are extremely touched by your gesture."
She added that several other vendors had approached them to express their thanks for highlighting the situation.
The couple had joined the fair hoping for strong crowds, especially over National Day weekend, given its central location and SG60 branding.
The New Paper understands that Ms Chen and other vendors are currently in discussions with the organiser, Singapore Night Bazaar, over possible rebates or rental discounts. No details have been confirmed.
