Dubai, January 24: Residents and expatriates in Dubai look forward every year for the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) to start for the cheapest way of the year to shop until they drop.
Filipino expatriate Fe Palma, who has made Dubai her home for the past six years, told Khaleej Times that she sees to it that a part of her monthly salary goes to savings to be able to shop around during the Dubai Shopping Festival. “DSF has contributed so much to the buying capacity of the expatriates in the emirate. During DSF, we have the best chance to buy those expensive things we wanted but was unable to afford due to limited resources in other seasons of the year,” she said.
She said that only during DSF that everything costly becomes cheap. “We will take time to buy as the things are now within reach considering the big discounts and good deals being offered.”
Sanoj Thaj, an Indian whose parents have been in Dubai many long years, said DSF is the time where expatriates and visitors can see all great stuffs in the malls. “I am studying outside Dubai, but what these countries have, I can find those in the malls across Dubai. Different tastes of the shoppers find satisfaction during DSF.”
Filipino expatriates Sherry Figueroa and Joy Valentino have considered DSF a boon to expatriates, especially those who have meager income and can hardly afford to shop all the time due to the skyrocketing prices.
Figueroa, who has been working in Dubai for four years, said that she goes shopping for clothes and shoes during DSF as she always gets 50 per cent or more cut on the regular prices. Valentino finds more branded goods there at an affordable price. “I do shop around for new clothes, shoes and important things, which are expensive in other times of the year in Dubai, but are now very much affordable,” she added.
Sally, an Iranian business woman, said that she loves the entertainment and fun that go with DSF. But, she said, most people do not come to Dubai to win. “They come for leisure and fun. They love shopping so the best shopping festival should focus on the quality of goods, particularly signature goods that the participating malls could offer.”
A Mauritian, Fiza Khimzar, said that DSF is synonymous to everything that is cheap. “When all becomes cheap, even the signature or branded goods, for a limited time of 32 days of shopping, lots of people will come. People love to shop and shopping becomes easy and rewarding when branded goods or just everything in the malls and retail outlets are that cheap.”
–Agencies–