KAJIAN PERSEPSI PEDAGANG TERHADAP EKSISTENSI BANTO TRADE CENTER KOTA BUKITTINGGI

Abstract

Trade center as a media of human needs exchange has shifted from traditional trade to modern trade center to improve the function of the location and to implement innovative as well as creative ideas to create trading activities, performing socialization, entertainment as well as to create representative shopping center as a background of the development of Banto Trade Center (BTC) which is the biggest and the first trade center having strata title which is developed in the city center. The existence of BTC and its potentials are then responded by the community that is seen from the number of kiosks rented by the sellers during the development, that are 575 units out of provided 1,012 units. Yet, when it is operated there are no more kiosks rented and 522 units rented before are not used by the sellers. This condition hampers the trading activities in BTC. Based on the condition, it is figured out that the sellers’ interest was previously high while during the operation, they do not use the kiosks, thus it is interesting to do a research to examine the sellers’ perspective upon Banto Trade center. To reach the research purpose, there are some targets formulated, that are by identifying the characteristics of Banto Trade Center, the characteristics of sellers buying BTC as well as sellers’ perspective toward the existence of BTC. The analysis method used is descriptive qualitative methods with positivistic approach. The data and information are obtained through observation and interview by using snowballing techniques. Based on the sellers’ perception, it is figured out that the reason of the impeded development of BTC is caused by the closed access to BTC, sellers’ behavior to do speculation/investment in buying the kiosks so that there are many kiosks are closed especially in strategic locations as an impact of strata title, less interesting building design and poorly maintained building, lack of promotion, no trade specialization compared with other trade centers as well as the building functions which are not used maximally to develop the kiosks which then giving less opportunity for retailers to develop their business as trade magnet/ attraction in BTC. All of those conditions, based on the sellers, have also caused the community to less attracted to come and shop in BTC, thus the low trade transaction and turnover will never reach their expectations. To conclude, this research finds that because of those problems, the sellers are then choose to trade on some trading areas in Bukittinggi and focus their business on the areas and decide to temporary close their kiosks at BTC. By that fact, seriousness of local government to make sirculation structuring at BTC, segmentation created and trade specialization, and also increasing the promotion by the developer are needed.