Major hypermarkets in Doha have recorded a 30% drop in the sale of room heaters last month compared to the same period in 2015, it is learnt.
A manager of a leading hypermarket said temperatures in December were not as cold compared to the same month in 2015 when room heater sales, including winter garments were higher.
“We are hoping that in the coming days temperatures would come down so that we could at least sell some of our remaining stocks of room heaters,” he told Gulf Times.
This was reiterated by a merchandiser of room heaters from another large hypermarket, who noted that Qataris and some Europeans are regular buyers of the product.
“But aside from just the temperature, we noticed that there was a change in the spending habits of our customers. It seems that people are mindful of their purchases and tend to spend only on essential items,” he said.
In contrast, mall retailers have recorded a 10% to 15% spike in sales of their winter collections. “However, the increase was not as high compared to our sales in December 2015 maybe because temperatures then were cooler compared to last month,” a salesperson said.
“People continue to buy winter clothes, particularly those from the ‘A and B segment’ of society, which is why we were able to meet our sales targets. If temperatures drop further in the coming days, we would expect our sales to go up,” he pointed out.
He added that around March when stores start displaying their summer collections, many customers look out for ‘end of season sales’ and other promotions as stores dispose remaining stocks from the winter collection.
A merchandiser of electronic items, on the other hand, revealed that the opening of new stores and outlets had affected their sales of smartphones and other electronic gadgets.
“The market is now divided because there are new malls that have opened in other parts of the country. We have experienced a decline in sales because even during the weekends, we only have a few customers coming in,” he said.
The merchandiser added that many stores have also launched various promotions to attract customers.
“Aside from promotions, which we offer on a weekly basis, the customer’s mode of payment also plays an important role in attracting business. Stores that offer 0% interest or installments on credit cards get more customers than stores that only offer straight payments,” he explained.
A manager of a leading hypermarket said temperatures in December were not as cold compared to the same month in 2015 when room heater sales, including winter garments were higher.
