HiveComb

People who often complain that they do not have white-collar jobs usually do not think of starting small-scale industries like the one above. It is a mattress manufacturing unit in my village. It is a small unit with fewer than 50 workers, probably.

The workers assemble the sponge and coir and use springs for a bigger mattress. They then stitch cloth and cover it, and there you go, you get a comfortable mattress. These are then shipped to various companies, which are then branded and sold for a very high price. Local shops also buy from these people and sell it to the customers.

One can also buy from this unit for the wholesale price, which is very cheap when compared to the market price. They also sell pillows. I have observed the price difference of the very same pillow and mattress in a mall in my city. It was so high.

So, if you intend to buy stuff like this, first find out if there are manufacturing units in your city or town, or village, and then approach them. They will most probably sell to you, and you will save a lot of money as well. It is the same for any product. Another example would be clothing. There are a lot of places in my country where weavers make sarees and other dresses for a lower price, and customers are usually charged huge amounts when they purchase from high-end cloth stores. So, if you intend to shop for events in bulk, it would be economical to buy directly from weavers, even if it means traveling to such places as Surat, Erode, Tirupur, Kanchivaram, etc.

Coming back to small-scale industries, if you want to start one, you can always approach the MSME, and they will give you training in such skills, and also support to start one after successful completion of the training. There are such offices throughout the country. Such industries not only help the entrepreneur but also help the local people who want jobs.

Before purchasing stuff from online websites with just a click, it is always good to search for units that sell products in your area. Who knows, you might be able to get a good bargain.

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