At Dubai's Global Village, ‘what the customer says is the price’

Dubai: There are times when customer is king, and the end of season bargains at Global Village certainly make you put on a crown.

Rather than cargo back their remaining stocks or store them locally, international vendors at the Dubai tourist attraction are letting go their wares at incredible discounts.

“What the customer says is the price. We don’t haggle with customers in the last days of the season,” said Javed Mohammad Jan, a carpets trader at Afghanistan pavilion.

The 23rd season of Global Village started on October 30, 2018 and ends on April 13 (following a one-week extension).

Jan, responsible for retail at the Askar Sons stall, added: “Handmade carpets that used to cost Dh3,500, we are now selling for Dh1,600 or Dh1,800. It’s better to sell what you still can, even if there is little margin. We have to ‘cash the goods’. This is normally what all traders do at the end of season.”

Jan is right, it seems.

At the Pakistan pavilion, the Ali’s leather stall is now offering its top-of-the-line leather jackets at Dh500 a pop — compared to Dh1,200 in the season’s beginning.

“We can’t do any less than that, otherwise the customer says ‘genuine leather can’t be that cheap’. If these jackets don’t sell, we’ll bring them back next season. But there’s a cost associated with storing them. On the other hand, a Dh700 discount is a great deal for customers, they’re happy to buy it. We want cash in hand, not jackets — that’s why we’re here,” said owner Shazad Maghani.

Maghani said the jackets commanded the highest prices in the first three months this season.

“Now, towards the end, if we can sell them at near-cost, we will. The strategy is simple: don’t make a loss, even if you have to make little profit.”

It’s the same strategy adopted by Besir Gozuoglu, a member of the sales team at Lalali Art stall in Turkey pavilion. Ceramic handmade decorative plates from their Harun collection are going at 70 per cent discount — for Dh300 a piece.

Plates in other collections can be as low as Dh50 now, compared to Dh300 before.

Almost every stall Gulf News visited had a “special offer” to keep customers interested.

“These are the last days of the season, and we want our customers to leave with something special so they remember us,” said honey trader Osama Atyab in Yemen pavilion.

“Now, our premium honey is Dh250 per kilo, compared to Dh480 before. And we have a special offer for the last days: If you take two kilos, it’ll be Dh500 plus 250gm free.”

Global Village will returns later this year — and seasoned customers will be ready, crowns and all.

CRAZY DEALS

Ali’s Leather, Pakistan pavilion

Pakistani “baby lamb” genuine leather long-coats

Before: Dh1,200
Now: Dh500
Save: Dh700

Askar Sons, Afghanistan pavilion

Afghan “handmade 6’x9’ carpets”

Before: Dh3,500
Now: Dh1,600
Save: Dh1,900

Lalali Art, Turkey pavilion

“Ceramic handmade” decorative plates, Harun collection

Before: Dh1,000
Now: Dh300
Save: Dh700

Atyab for Honey, Yemen pavilion

“Pure Yemeni mountain” honey

Before: Dh480
Now: Dh250
Save: Dh230