For all things tech, there’s just one destination this week — Gitex Shopper Spring Edition. For those who aren’t sure, here are six top reasons why you should be at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from today until Saturday.
New countries
Spread across 20,000 square metres, the second edition of Gitex Shopper Spring is among the largest events of its kind in the region. And it accommodates a lot of participants.
“In addition to the region’s power retailers that have confirmed their participation, including E-Max, E-City, Jacky’s Electronics, Jumbo Electronics and Sharaf DG, we are hosting many of the world’s leading consumer electronics brands, including Dell, HP, Lenovo, Nokia and Samsung,” says Hemesh Chandavarkar, Director, Consumer Cluster, Exhibitions and Event Management, DWTC, organisers of the event.
“We also have several new participating countries including China, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, the UK and the UAE.”
Perfect timing
Nadeem Khanzadah, Head, Retail, Jumbo Electronics, feels the current edition of Gitex Shopper could not have been timed better. “Gitex Spring is timed right after two of the world’s biggest global consumer events — the Consumer Electronics Show and Mobile World Congress. “Shoppers can’t wait to get their hands on the latest and greatest new products that they’ve been hearing about for the past couple of months. It is a true testament to this region’s growing importance that these products are available in the market soon after their global launches,” he says.
“Many of the latest products that will be debuting globally this month will be available at the show and the bargains being offered by exhibitors will be exceptional,” says Trixie LohMirmand, Senior Vice-President, DWTC.
Cash prizes
Be sure to bring your lucky charm. With millions of dirhams to be won in prizes through raffles and contests, this is an event you cannot afford to miss even if you are not the resident geek. And if Lady Luck be your guiding light, become one of four proud owners of a limited-edition Honda Accord that will be raffled away every day of the show.
New launches
The two most anticipated smartphones on the planet, the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC M8 are making an appearance at Gitex Shopper. “In terms of new product launches, it is going to be an exciting time for smartphones with the simultaneous launch of the eagerly awaited Galaxy S5 and HTC M8, the much talked about successor to the popular HTC One. We expect both these gadgets to be Gitex bestsellers,” says Khanzadah.
Fantastic deals
With the Fifa World Cup around the corner, now’s the time to upgrade to that zillion-inch curved, smart screen you have been obsessing about.
“Gitex Shopper Spring Edition addresses a vacuum in the shopping season. It is a bit late this year but it should do well given the closeness to the upcoming World Cup in Brazil. We are very optimistic,” says Niranjan Gidwani, Deputy CEO, Eros Group.
With some of the best deals on offer for tech aficionados in comparison to any other time of the year, Gitex spoils its visitors silly collecting the world’s premium brands under one roof.
Tech trials
Gitex never fails to amaze even the most seasoned buyer. The eagerly awaited products at killer prices aside, organisers also innovate when it comes to the layout of the show, and the current edition is no different.
Visit the Experience Zones for instance, set up by some of the world’s premium brands at their respective outlets, allowing visitors to try out the products with experts at hand offering advice on specs and helping them to make informed decisions before buying.
“The new Experience Zones will help shoppers learn about the latest products and offer advice on what’s best and why,” says LohMirmand.
