By Anand Holla
Name: Sadrul Ansari
Nationality: Nepali
What do you sell?
All kinds of ladies accessories, rings, perfumes, clips, ribbons, head bands, purses, bangles, necklaces, watches, make-up sets, ornaments, bracelets, chains, pens, mirrors, combs, beads, toys, cuff links, and batulas (traditional face masks worn by women in the Arabian Gulf)
What are your shop’s specialties?
We are basically an all-in-one shop, and we stock a wide variety of accessories and knickknacks. The best part about our shop is that we put all our wares up for display, giving our customers a complete picture of what all they can get here. Often, ladies passing by our shop, stop, look and decide to make a buy. That, in itself, is our asset.
Where do you source your goods from?
Almost all our supplies come from Dubai and China. Dubai is nice for watches and perfumes, while China is where we get our clips, ribbons, and other small accessories from.
How do you try and set yourself apart from other shops?
We do that by simply putting all our materials on display. I think it catches the eye and makes a potential customer at least stop by and check things out.
Do you face any kind of problems running this shop?
None whatsoever.
Who are your customers?
From Indians and Nepalis to Arabs from Saudi Arabia and Dubai, we have a range of customers dropping by. A lot of Pakistanis come, too, and they pick up a few necklaces for kids or watches for themselves.
What kind of customers do you find annoying?
No matter how hard you try, some customers are difficult to deal with. There are some who ask something that’s priced at QR5 for QR1. There is no way to strike a deal with such customers.
Tell us your favourite anecdote related to a customer.
Since our shop stocks accessories, customers buy things quickly and leave. So there’s nothing in particular that I remember.
What is the best thing about Souq Waqif?
It’s an amazing melting pot. I get to meet all sorts of people from all over the world here. Merely by being here at the Souq, you get many opportunities to interact with people.
If it wasn’t for this job,
what would you have been doing?
I think I would have liked to sell ladies cosmetics.