Clothing, footwear prices remain stable despite rise in shipping costs — sector representative

AMMAN — Clothing and footwear prices have remained steady and within the normal price range during the holy month of Ramadan, said Asaad Qawasmi, representative of the clothing, garment and jewellery sector at the Jordan Chamber of Commerce on Sunday.

“Currently there is low demand in the local market, due to the low purchasing power and priority given to buying food commodities during Ramadan,” Qawasmi told The Jordan Times.

He said the “competitive retail environment is the main reason why prices are still stable”, despite the rise in global shipping costs and raw material prices.

The local clothing market offers a variety of options from different countries, according to Qawasmi, who pointed out that retailers are prepared to welcome the summer season, and hope sales increase ahead of Eid Al Fitr.

“Due to the unstable economic situation and the high cost of living in Jordan, shoppers are having to decide whether their purchase is a priority or not,” said Samir Jamal, the owner of a women’s apparel shop in Amman.

He said local markets did not see much movement in the first week of Ramadan, but the situation might differ ahead of Eid Al Fitr.

Ahmad Khalil, another clothing store owner, told The Jordan Times over the phone, that for almost two years now his store has been incurring great losses. 

“My store is still operating, because if I close its doors I do not know what I will be doing next,” he said.

Hoping Eid Al Fitr shopping will remedy the decrease in purchases, Khalil said he is planning to offer great discounts and deals during the last 10 days of Ramadan.