Nightime Eid clothes shopping increases demand

AMMAN — The demand for clothing in the last few days before Eid Al Adha has increased, especially at night between 8pm and 12 midnight, according to sector representatives. 

“We witnessed an improvement in sales at large malls and big shops where there are a lot of sales.Mid-sized shops and shops in popular areas are still struggling with low demand due to people’s low purchasing power,” Asaad Qawasmi, a representative of the clothing, garment and jewellery sector at the Jordan Chamber of Commerce said on Wednesday.

The clothing and footwear sector provided various offers and gave 20 per cent discounts to create enough liquidity to sell their stocks that had piled up since Ramadan, Qawasmi told The Jordan Times over the phone. 

He noted that in Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr, there were a lot of movement restrictions, especially between governorates, noting that merchants could not sell their stocks, and are using the open window now to do so before Eid Al Adha, which starts on Friday.

However, Qawasmi said due to the heatwave currently impacting the Kingdom, people go out to markets after 8pm, and the curfew starts at 1am, thus he demanded easing curfew hours to allow merchants and sellers to work more before Eid starts. 

“A few days ago, as Eid drew nearer, and as worker’s salaries were paid and the discounts given by merchants, have all contributed to limited activity in markets,” Textile and Readymade Clothes Syndicate President Muneer Deyeh told The Jordan Times over the phone.

The current movement cannot be compared with that of previous years, Deyeh said, noting that there is a lot of regression as this summer usually witnesses a lot of events and expatriates returning and there is more movement. 

However, this year due to the crisis and as expatriates have not returned and there were not many events, the movement “regressed tremendously”, Deyeh said, reiterating that the heatwave also compelled people to go out only at night.

The association president said that the next season right after Eid is the return-to-school season, which he said depends on the Education Ministry’s decision to have students attend schools physically or online, noting that “a lot is at stake for school uniform producers, who are many.”

For his part, Ahmad Karazoun, owner of a clothing shop in Zarqa, said that people’s movement in the market boomed in the past few days nearing Eid Al Adha.

“A lot of people go downtown to buy all their needs, including clothes, especially at night, you can see so many people going around, and it is helping us sell well,” he added.