Dubai’s Super Sale boosts retailers as consumers spend at the malls

Slash it and they will run proved to be very much the case yesterday for Dubai retailers in need of a sales boost, as high numbers of consumers showed up and spent their dirhams on the first day of the weekend’s Super Sale.

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) put out the call-to-shop when it announced the three-day event encompassing 1,000 outlets, 250 brands and discounts of between 30 per cent and 90 per cent.

Mall of the Emirates (MOE) was very busy at 4pm yesterday with long traffic jams in the streets outside as cars waited to enter the mall.

“Our sales are 58 per cent up compared with the same day last year, and we are not having a sale,” said the manager of a global fashion chain’s outlet at the mall. “It’s been mostly women’s and children’s clothing that has seen the bump. Maybe the men will come in over the weekend. The footfall has been really impressive.”

The new event is part of the Retail Calendar, announced last year, to organise promotions and sales emirate-wide.

Eager customers were waiting at MOE before stores opened. Meanwhile, parking at The Dubai Mall was reportedly almost impossible by late afternoon.

The event is likely to give retailers a much needed fillip, as this year has been marked by flat growth amid weak consumer sentiment on lower oil prices and the subsequent softer economic environment.

“The event looks to be a great success so far,” said Saeed Al Falasi, the executive director of retail and strategic alliances at Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, part of Dubai Tourism and the organiser of the sale.

He said the idea was to get people excited ahead of the typically slow Ramadan retail period.

“I didn’t expect people to be up and out early but it seems they were. Having the event just before Ramadan allows people to buy their clothes for the holy month and gifts for Eid. We have worked closely with the retailers and this allows them to clear their warehouses and restock with summer lines and updated products.”

Tahar, a store manager for a leading fashion brand, said it was discounting almost all its stock by 40 per cent.

“We have had a brilliant day so far,” he said. “We really needed it because sales have been non-existent, worse than dead. My only worry is what it will be like after Saturday.”

While a noticeable amount of people were toting shopping bags emblazoned with various brands’ logos, not everyone thought the sale lived up to its billing.

“I thought there was supposed to be a sale, but everything I’ve been interested in has been full price,” said Robin, a Dubai resident from Australia. “I think the stuff that has been discounted heavily is the stuff they can’t get rid of usually.”

The event was not just for the physical retailers, as Souq.com was also discounting many items online, however the crowds in MOE underlined the physical pleasure customers get from bricks and mortar malls.

Deekay, a twenty-something Indian expat living in Dubai who was laden with shopping bags in MOE, said she had been shopping like crazy, even spending in shops that had no sales on.

“I don’t know what came over me. I just thought why not, because I had saved money on my other purchases. I’ve picked up something for all the family,” she said.

ascott@thenational.ae

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