Several electronic and mobile phone shops in Qatar have recorded a decrease in sales after the Eid al-Fitr holidays but they expect to meet monthly targets, it is learnt.
Speaking to Gulf Times, a shop supervisor assigned at a major mall in Doha said sales normally slows down during this time of the year because a lot of residents travel out of the country to take a break abroad.
“For iOS products, our shop and almost all our branches in Doha meet our targets due to the steady flow of customers, including the regular ones. We are confident that we can hit our target for this month,” he noted.
During Ramadan, he said the demand is usually high since many residents are replacing their old units with upgraded or newly-released models.
Some people who are taking their vacation back home buy new handsets as gifts to their families or relatives and friends.
According to the manager, many of their branches exceeded their sales targets during the holy month, particularly a few days before the Eid al-Fitr holidays.
He added that they take the opportunity of enticing as many customers as possible to buy mobile phones, accessories, and other electronic devices during the peak season.
It is learnt that many shops, as well as major hypermarkets, launch their promotions and special offers during Ramadan and Eid to anticipate the low sales in summer.
Like exclusive iOS sellers, shops that offer android-powered devices also share the same experience saying they give huge discounts to customers ranging between QR200 and QR600, especially on new models.
“The huge sales from Ramadan up to Eid compensate the decline or slowdown during the holidays,” said an employee of another shop, which also sells other electronic devices and appliances.
“Also, it is very difficult to sell items during summer even if you have some promotions,” he added. “What we do is to offer them during the peak season where people allot more budget for such items.”
While the shop ended its promotions after the Eid holidays, he said they now have special offers for other items such as television and entertainment sets.
A staff of another outlet operating at a major mall disclosed that their sales after Eid slightly decreased but falls “within the allowed limit.”   
He believes that people will continue to buy new mobile phones saying such items have become a necessity nowadays. 
According to the staff, they have also seen an increase in sales of smartphones after a number of online and interactive games such as the ‘Pokemon Go’ have become popular in Qatar.
However, he also admitted that the rising competition due to the increasing number of sellers poses a big challenge in meeting their sales targets. 
He said they are trying to find ways how to compete with big businesses, hypermarkets, and chains of stores, which can offer lower prices and launch a series of promotions.