The demand for various non-food items, including furniture, is slightly increasing after nearly three months of slowdown since the start of summer, it is learnt.

Retailers, particularly shops and boutiques operating at major malls in Qatar, have started receiving more customers compared to the off peak period.
Speaking to Gulf Times, an employee of an apparel shop said they now see some regular customers coming to buy new items but in lesser quantities.
“I expect our sales for October to exceed last month’s but in my estimate, it will still be 30% lesser compared to last year’s figure in the same period,” she noted.
Similar shops are also hoping that footfall will improve in the coming months with many residents mulling to buy new clothes such as jackets, sweaters, and cardigans for the winter season.
A number of boutiques in another mall decided to extend their promotions and reduce the prices of select items while others have launched new offerings for a variety of models and collections.
Retailers are heavily relying on these promotions to attract more customers both domestic and those from neighbouring GCC countries, it is learnt.
“We see a continuous flow of visitors from Saudi Arabia since the Eid al-Fitr and this is really a good sign,” said a long time employee at a popular watch boutique. “We managed to ‘survive’ during the off peak period because of them.”
She observed that most foreign tourists visit various malls to look for the brand or boutique they prefer or something that suits their preference.
Many shop employees also expect to further improve their sales in the coming months saying that many families who spent their vacations abroad are now back in the country.
Furniture shops have also started getting an increasing number of customers, particularly families who are looking for new designs and models to replace their old ones.
A staff of a leading furniture chain stressed that they consider this period (after the summer and Eid holidays) as the start of the peak period since many residents want to buy new items such as sofas, beds (and accessories), pillows, cabinets, dining tables and chairs, among others.
“New business establishments will be open in various locations soon and we hope to suit their taste,” she said.
While citing the growing competition in the Qatar market, she believes a lot of customers will always prefer quality products at reasonable prices.
She said they are working hard to exceed their target last year during the same period despite some challenges they face.
The demand for sports apparel, equipment, and other items such as jogging pants, shorts, running shoes, swim wear, bags, socks, tumblers, cycling jerseys, and balls (basketball, volleyball, and soccer, among others), is also increasing, according to an employee of a leading sports chain.