The demand for winter clothes and room heaters has started picking up in stores and hypermarkets as Qatar's residents start to feel the chill, especially at night, it is learnt.
Sales of outdoor sports items are also on the rise, with people looking to make the most of the pleasant weather.
Speaking to Gulf Times, an employee of a hypermarket in Doha said they have increased the number of room heaters on display since the start of December.
“We expect the demand to go up further once the temperature starts to drop below 15-16C, probably next week onwards,” he said. “For now, a lot of people seem particularly interested in winter clothes.”
The items on display in the electronics section of the hypermarket include halogen heaters (with or without remote) and oil-filled radiators of various sizes and brands.
In one supermarket, a merchandiser said have they started unloading more items from their stock room to the store since last week.
He noted that prices of room heaters varied based on size, wattage, features and brand.
He observed that onset of winter in Qatar seemed to have been delayed this time compared to previous years, when the drop in temperature usually took place by the second half of November. “We normally see an increasing demand for room heaters in the second week of November but I believe not this year. If the winter is extended, we expect sales to go up,” he added.
When the demand is high, the supermarket can sell between 45 and 65 units per day. On an average, it ranges between 35 and 55, depending on the temperature.
Another employee stressed, “If the temperature drops to the under-15C levels, we expect to run out of stocks quickly. We have the same case with winter apparel.”
Apparel and sports shops have also recorded an increase in the number of people who buy sweatshirts, long sleeves, jackets and jogging pants.
An employee of a leading sports store chain in the country noted that sales of sports jackets, shoes and other clothes and equipment for outdoor activities start to go up.
Citing an increase in footfall this month, he expects to meet their monthly targets from December to May, especially with the shop’s ongoing promotion.
A number of popular boutiques in one of the major malls in Doha see an increasing demand for leather jackets. “Though prices are higher than the usual jackets, leather jackets are highly appealing to many,” a saleswoman said.
She added that the demand for winter clothes for children is also expected to rise in the coming days.
