Retail - Samstag, Februar 7, 2009 15:07 - 0 Comments

Tills fail to jingle at Dubai Shopping Festival

DUBAI (AFP) — Ahmed, clad in an elegant black suit, smiles from behind a fine display of cosmetics at a department store in Dubai, but most shoppers glance quickly and dash away, with only a few reaching the cashier.

Like many retail workers in the Gulf Arab emirate, Ahmed feels the Dubai Shopping Festival — an annual month-long sales extravaganza starting in mid-January — is not the same this year due to the global financial crisis.

“During last year’s festival, customers used to buy a whole set of perfume, shower gel, body lotion and other additions. Instead, this year, we would be really thankful if they bought just the perfume,” Ahmed says as he adjusts his tie. “You just have to do a lot of convincing for them to actually buy stuff.” Continue…