Clothing, footwear sector banks on White Friday sales

AMMAN — Trade activity in local markets and online stores is expected to increase in the coming two days due to the White Friday sales, according to the clothing, footwear and jewellery sector at the Jordan Chamber of Commerce.

Shoppers are expected to increase their visits to the market in the coming two days, the sector’s representative Asad Qawasmi said on Sunday.

“The first two days have been slow, but things will start to pick up soon,” Qawasmi told The Jordan Times.

Arab countries prefer to describe the last Friday in November as White Friday, as opposed to Black Friday, Qawasmi noted 

He added that the occasion covers the entire Kingdom.

The White Friday started in Jordan this year on Saturday due to the weekly nationwide lockdown on Friday that is imposed by the government.

The White Friday, which includes sales from 20 to 70 per cent, will end on November 30, according to Qawasmi.

He pointed out that other reasons for the slow traffic during the first two days was that people have not received their salaries yet.

“There is also the health factor and the fact that some people are afraid to go out that often because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

 “We are hopeful that the sale will help shake the market that is suffering from depression because of the health challenges imposed on Jordan,” he added.

At the same time, White Friday is also expected to boost the economy.

“The idea is to benefit the consumers who will take advantage of the sale to buy goods with affordable prices,” he added.

 He stressed that all business owners were instructed to abide by strict health rules as stipulated by the government.

Earlier this year, Jordan’s Textile and Readymade Clothes Syndicate President Muneer Deyeh urged the government to adopt swift measures to boost the sector, which was hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis.

The syndicate said that the COVID-19 crisis has left the sector with “many challenges that need to be addressed urgently”.