White Friday, 11.11, Yellow Wednesday, Cyber crazy, 3-day super sale: It seems to be the season of shopping as a multitude of deals are up for grabs at various stores. From makeup to furniture to electronics, several items are available at heavily discounted prices. But is it really the best time to shop?
Dubai residents seem to think so. Yasmin Zeido spent almost Dh3,500 on various items in the last two weeks – for items that would have cost her at least Dh5,000 if she had not taken advantage of the various sales. “I needed some makeup items and I knew Huda Beauty was going to have a sale,” she said. “So I waited and got some really good deals from their cyber crazy sale. I also bought some clothes for my daughters because they had outgrown a lot of their winterwear. The bill came to Dh2,000 but with the sale, I got it for Dh850.”
Yasmin admitted that she also did some impulse buying during the sale. “There was this beautiful gold and diamond bracelet on Ounass. It was originally priced at Dh2,000 but was on sale for Dh970. I really liked it, so even though I try not to shop impulsively, I did so for this one because I felt like it was too good a deal to miss.”
Traditionally, Black Friday sales have taken place in the US during the weekend after Thanksgiving. This year it falls on November 23. Retailers claimed that hosting offers boosted their sales during an otherwise lean season. Over the years the Black Friday sales have become associated with long lines, great deals and some questionable behaviour as shoppers have fought over deals. In more recent times, these sales have found their way to the region, with many retailers coming up with different kinds of sales to appeal to the local audience.
Guilty pleasure
Sailing and sports enthusiast Xenia Tiutiushina said shopping was her guilty pleasure. “I take Black Friday as a nice chance for hunting and buying something I always wanted or dreamt about,” she said. “Of course, you have to spend time to find best deal but it’s really worth when you get everything for a lower price.”
She said her biggest spends were on her two passions – padel and sailing. “Adidas stock the Terrex line which is the best for outdoor activities,” she said. “Unfortunately they don’t sell any sailing clothes in UAE. So I ordered online waterproof trousers and non-slippery shoes with 40 per cent and 60 per cent discount. Also I got there my first padel racket with 30 per cent discount. I play one or two times every week with my colleagues so no more renting.”
Alyssa Mariano, co-founder and CEO at pre-loved fashion app Bazaara, said that it was “a great time to shop” especially if people are buying gift for their friends and family for the holiday season. “Many retailers are offering discounts and bundle deals that can make it easy to buy for multiple people at once during this month – especially for Black Friday and Cyber Monday,” she said. “Look for deals such as ‘buy 1 get 1 free’, or anything over 40 per cent off. My recommendation is to buy unique gifts that you know the receiver will love and use for a long time.”
Increase in shoppers
Meanwhile retailers have seen a rise in shoppers during this period. Rajat Asthana, COO, Eros Group said the group has seen an increase in sales of up to 25 per cent. “The festive season prompts a spirit of gifting, and enticing discounts inspire customers to upgrade their electronics at home and in their offices,” he said. “ Some of the products lines where we see a surge of demand and sales are smart products like Google echo series, Amazon Alexa, smartwatches and phones.”
Nabil Essakouti, General Manager of Deerfields Mall agreed with this. “We have seen a notable increase in sales percentages across the stores within the establishment,” he said. “The winter sales season presents an excellent opportunity for shoppers to access top-notch special offers with significant discounts to meet their diverse needs at budget-friendly prices.”
“For serious deal seekers, the sale days are much-awaited opportunities to grab things on their wish list at half the price or cheaper,” said Vikas Chadha, CEO of Jumbo Electronics. “We are expecting a large footfall and sales over the weekend with discounts of up to 50 per cent on a range of products. There are also gift vouchers and free gifts to be won.”