Outlets, secondhand stores turn favourites amid COVID economic pinch

AMMAN — Amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis, secondhand and outlet stores gain popularity as more Jordanians turn away from retail stores.

President of Jordan’s Textile and Readymade Clothes Syndicate Muneer Deyeh told The Jordan Times on Wednesday that outlet shops make up no less than 30 per cent of Jordan’s clothing industry.

Among the main reasons why more and more people in the Kingdom are buying from outlets, is because they wish to own and wear well-made, high-quality and branded clothing for a cheaper price, Deyeh said.

“The outlet industry is booming and its stores are springing up all across the Kingdom,” he noted.

People in Jordan are looking for high-quality clothing for affordable prices, especially amid a crisis of salary reduction and an economic downturn, Deyeh noted.

He added that Jordan’s garment sector is diversified. International brand stores account for 25 per cent of the industry while local shops that majorly import from China and Turkey represent 45 per cent.

Locally made fashion mainly comprises of modest Islamic clothing for women, as well as men’s suits, Deyeh noted.  

Now with the pandemic-induced economic recession, a lot of people cannot afford to buy new things, so their best choice would be to buy from outlet shops and sometimes from second-hand stores, said Subhi Abdullah, owner of an outlet store.

“Outlet shops offer consumers lower prices when compared with the prices of non-outlet retail locations,” Abdullah added.

Beisan Khatatneh, a 19-year-old thrift enthusiast, said on Wednesday that she always finds valuable pieces with special prints and material, adding that thrifting has become more like a hobby, because she gets to enjoy trendy styles at lower prices.

“It is truly shocking what people can find just by looking through things. Thrifting is like a treasure hunt. I have pieces from major name brands bought at a fraction of the cost normally charged at stores,” Khatatneh noted.

Dana Abu Eid, a mother of two children, told The Jordan Times on Wednesday that she goes on a shopping spree at an outlet store that offers a wide selection of discounted clothing.

“Kids and toddlers outgrow their clothes very fast, so had I not shopped at an outlet store, I would have spent a lot more money, which I cannot, especially during these uncertain times,” Abu Eid said.

“Second-hand stores and outlets offer great savings and offers, which helps me save money,” she said.