White Friday mega-sale draws good crowds

Qatar’s retail sector got a further boost as a large number of shoppers thronged malls and shopping centres across the country Friday, taking advantage of the highly anticipated ‘White Friday’ mega-sale.Shops, stores, and boutiques, as well as department stores at hypermarkets, drew crowds who seized the opportunity to avail of various promotions and discounts, ranging between 20% and 70%, while other deals include special prices such as ‘Everything below 99 (QR)’.The massive sale once again witnessed long queues at shops that sell electronics and mobile devices, where shoppers patiently waited for their turn. A number of local and international brands at different shopping centres extended their operating hours, while others such as FNAC (in some branches) were opened round-the-clock.Besides reduced prices, several shops also offered extra bonus points when using certain bank and rewards cards to attract more customers. A staff at a popular retail chain said that weeks prior to the annual sale, their company has launched an online campaign to announce its promotions. This, he stressed, provided people the chance to get more details about the items they wanted to buy.He described the response as remarkable, saying that shoppers were ready to spend more for laptops, mobile phones, tablets, and other items such as guitars and other musical instruments. He revealed that they also witnessed a demand surge on online orders for various products.Filipino expatriate Imelda M said she often anticipates the White Friday sale in Qatar, a month before taking a vacation in her home country. She finds the occasion the ideal time to shop due to the massive deals on offer."I often save money for a couple of months and wait for this moment to shop. I saved a lot because many of the items that I wanted to buy before were all on promo, many at 50% discount,” she said, hoping that the mega-sale would extend in the coming weeks before her flight.Asked about the hassles of long queues, she said she was used to it and often ready to wait just to get the items she likes at a bargain. "This only happens once a year so I prepare for it, it’s not an issue for me.”Seeing a huge footfall on Friday, a staff at a famous sports and apparel chain expressed confidence that they will hit their target sale for the fourth quarter this year. "Shoppers know when and where to get the best deals and they go for it. A lot of people have yet to receive their salaries this month but you see many of them have come here to spend,” he said.Some of the White Friday promotions include Buy 2 Get 2 Free, Buy 1 Get 1 Free, 25% to 70% Discount on Everything, and Flat 40% Off, among others. It is learnt that other shops who did not participate in the mega-sale on Friday intend to launch their own promotions next month.Restaurants and eateries at malls and shopping malls, as well as supermarkets, also benefitted from the windfall, receiving a large number of customers.