Dubai's 3-day Super Sale: Residents shop smart after incomes dip post-Covid

As major sales and discounts are sweeping across Dubai this weekend, residents are rushing to shop smart after the pandemic triggered widespread pay cuts and job losses.

Shoppers are saving up to 90 per cent on fashion, beauty products, electronics, and home décor as White Friday online sales and Dubai's three-Day Super Sale in shopping malls and retail outlets come in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

UAE residents said post-Covid-19 lower household incomes, combined with global inflation, make shoppers resort to cheaper ways to buy their essentials.

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Hanan Saad, a Sharjah resident, noted waiting for discounts to shop after she experienced a major salary cut during the pandemic.

"I mostly look for discounts when buying home appliances, electronics and fashion items. The inflation has made it difficult to shop otherwise," said Saad.

She added that shopping for daily groceries in supermarkets take up most of the household's income, which leaves little room to shop for other essentials at original prices.

The rise of online shopping during Covid-19 also revealed new venues for residents to grab items at lower prices.

Dubai resident Yosra Khattab said, "The internet gives people access to a wide range of products from different outlets, making people realize the luxury of choice and cheaper prices they have online compared to shopping malls."

Therefore, she added, people wait for major discounts when shopping at malls.

Aya Salem said since she gave birth last year amid Covid-19 lockdown, she got accustomed to shopping online for its safety and convenience. She noted that online platforms' competitive prices and enhanced delivery methods made outlets rush to offer the best deals to attract customers.

"I realized how much I started saving up after shopping online, which made me wait for discounts if I were to shop at malls," Salem said.

She added people's tendencies to boost their shopping during sales encourage different outlets to post more online discounts.

"Retailers increase their sales, while customers save more, so both sides are winners."

Hasnaa Makady, a Dubai resident, noted that the increase in prices of goods with lower income made her seek cheaper means to shop for groceries and household essentials.

"As a home manager, grabbing offers and deals on groceries helps me save up by the end of the month." Makady, a mother of three, said she waits for discounts to shop for other non-essentials, including home décor, clothes, and electronics.

Having experienced no salary increase or promotion since the onset of the pandemic, combined with the surge in prices, Reem Mostafa said she shops for new clothes only during discounts.

"Sales make me shop the double for me and my family at less than half the price. Sometimes I get three items on sale with the cost of one item."

Mostafa, a mother of two, said she uses the discounts to buy a full year's needs in one go.

Brand shopping

Sara Ali, a Sharjah resident, noted that sales provide an excellent opportunity to buy brands featured at half the original price, which is equivalent to her regular shopping.

She said that she shops for perfumes, accessories and clothes during big sales, while sometimes looking for sales on food items to save up some house allowance.

Melaa Fahad pointed to the attractiveness behind discounts in giving shoppers the feeling that they obtained an item for lower than it usually is.

"It sometimes drives people to shop even when they do not need to."

She added, "sometimes when I find something at a discounted price, I buy it for the future even if I do not need it now. It's the feeling to earn something without spending a lot on it."

- sherouk@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai