Retailers confident on strong Gitex Shopper sales

Dubai - Event the 'perfect platform' to reach out to target audience and satisfy their needs

Retailers at the 2019 edition of Gitex Shopper were confident of a strong set of sales at its final day on Saturday, driven by the demand from the smartphone segment.
Officials at the event, highlighted the many reasons for the enduring popularity of the event amongst visitors, and why retailers have made it a point to return to the event every year.
"Gitex Shopper is the only event where consumers can find the entire electronics retail industry together and it has been always a pleasure for us to showcase our entire range and directly interact with consumers from all over UAE," said Nilesh Khalkho, CEO of Sharaf DG.
"More importantly Gitex Shopper is the perfect platform to reach out to our target audience and satisfy their needs; it has something to offer everyone and is a platform where visitors get the best deals on electronics," he added.
The five-day event is expected to draw an anticipated crowd of more than 125,000 visitors. Research released by the Dubai World Trade Centre shows that 30 per cent of 2018 visitors waited for the show to buy electronics, with more than half - 54 per cent - delaying planned electronics purchases until Gitex Shopper to ensure the best deals. In addition, 81 per cent of the visitors in 2018, said that they came to snap up offers and deals.
Pankaj Kumar, head of omnichannel retail at Jumbo Electronics, revealed that Gitex Shopper sales continued to be led by smartphones, PC and laptops, HD televisions, accessories and home appliances.
"The positive sentiment will be seen not only in the most popular categories such as smartphones and laptops, but across all segments," he said.
"We have received a lot of enquiries about QLED TVs in particular. Then we have the wearables segment, which has seen a huge rise in sales. And we are not only talking about fitness trackers such as Fitbit, but also about smartwatches from Apple, Samsung and Huawei. It is not just about fitness anymore, it is a lifestyle. People look at it as function and fashion."
Asked about expected sales for this year's edition, he said: "We are anticipating a growth in sales in the single-digits over last year. As with every year that we have participated, our sales are going to be good."
Similarly, Narayan Agarwal, chief finance officer at Emax, noted that he was confident about strong sales.
"Our plans are targeted to being the best that we can be at this event. We are ready for double-digit growth; we have the right stocks, the right people, and the right venue for success at this event," he added.
Officials at the event were hesitant to offer a concrete figure, but said that they expected sales to grow around 2 per cent over the past year's edition to cross the Dh250 million mark.
Prasad Nagarajan, director of channel sales for the Meta region at Dell, also spoke about the importance of the event, especially when it came to new products.
"Gitex Shopper is renowned for being an event that draws in the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable consumers. We are confident that they will not only enjoy experiencing these products first-hand at the event, but will also promote them profusely amongst their friends and family," he said.
Shoppers hunt for last-minute deals
The last day of Gitex Shopper 2019 was expected to draw a sizeable crowd as shoppers look to scoop up any last-minute deals that they can find at the electronics shopping event.
Several shoppers arrived early at the venue, hoping that the deals would get bigger and the prices for their favourite gadgets lower.
Vikram Malhotra, a Dubai resident, said that he was worried about the rush that would begin to start later in the day, which is why he arrived early.
"It is the last day and it is also the last day of the weekend, so I know that lots of people will be arriving. Some of my friends came here on Thursday and Friday because they thought that stocks might run out, but I think that the best deals are always on the last day."
Similarly, M. Mukhtar, a Pakistani shopper who came from Sharjah, said that he was looking for deals on smartphones, and that he hoped the prices for the device had dropped even further.
"I will not be unhappy [if the prices haven't dropped] because I am sure that I can still get a very good deal. Right now, I will go to all the stands and see who can give me the best deal."
Amina Khan, a student who had arrived with her parents, said that the family have almost always bought their electronics at Gitex, due to the deals and price reductions that are available at the exhibition.
"My brother is in Abu Dhabi right now, and my father told him to wait before buying a new phone since we can get a good deal at Gitex. I am also thinking of getting a new phone if the deal is really good, but I want an iPhone and my brother wants a Samsung."
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com