Awesome deals, new products as Gitex Autumn 2016 kicks off

Dubai: Bargain-hunters are getting unbeatable deals here on products that include smartphones, tablets, laptops, smart TVs, wearable technology and cameras.

That's because it's the first day of the 26^th  edition of Gitex Shopper Autumn 2016, which opened doors on Saturday and was inaugurated by Sami Ahmad Dhaen Al Qamzi, Director General of the Department of Economic Development in Dubai.

The eight-day event, taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre, offers  while a broad range of products — exciting bundled deals define every Dubai Gitex shopper experience.

Pictures: Day one of the 2016 Winter Gitex Shopper

“Gitex Shopper is the perfect place to find the latest technology products at the best possible prices and in the most convenient location. There is so much on offer for visitors, it really is the one-stop-shop for all your electronic needs,” said Trixie LohMirmand, Senior Vice-President, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), organiser of the event.

In additional to the endless bargains, this year’s visitors have the chance to win a number of incredible prizes and giveaways.

Simply by making it down to the show on any of the eight days, visitors stand the chance of winning the latest Oppo smartphone, while one lucky shopper will leave the show behind the wheel of the grand prize — a brand new Mitsubishi Montero Sport.

Visitors spending Dh3,000 or more have the opportunity to win one of 32 seaplane flights and holiday packages worth Dh15,000, while the ‘Scratch and Win’ raffle gives visitors the chance of winning an 80 Nikon D3300 camera.

The show will open from 11:00am - 11:00pm every day.

This year, tickets are priced at Dh30 for the weekdays and Dh35 for the weekend. Entry is free for children below the age of five. Retailers are geared up for the eight-day shopping fiesta as many new products are launched exclusively for the event.

Top smartphone makers say the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and iPhone 7 smartphones at at the stands, but there are other brands like Sony and HTC launching models exclusively at the event.

This year, HP, Dell, Asus and Acer are launching a new line-up of PCs, gaming machines and printers to catch the attention of consumers’.

Some of the key retailers as well as top brands are spending big on promotions, price discounts, and marketing to lure customers to the tech shopping fest.

Nilesh Khalkho, CEO of Sharaf DG, said consumer spending in the last few months has started to see an upswing and many new product launches have seen great response from people looking to experience the latest technologies.

Consumers have a chance to see the upcoming “Moto Mods” phone at Sharaf DG’s exclusive zone called “Android DG” in partnership with Google. Visitors can experience this phone which has various snap-on /snap-off attachments to enhance the phone’s features such as a Hasselblad camera lens, an Insta-Share projector or a JBL SoundBoost speaker.

“We would be offering consumers a chance to pre-book this phone at Gitex from October 5 onwards,” Khalkho said.

In partnership with Microsoft, Sharaf DG has a zone showcasing the latest Windows technologies and devices along with activities like the Forza racing pod, digital caricatures, and dance central zone. With HP, it is showcasing the Omen “Torture Chamber” 6D gaming experience brought in from Europe and the VR gaming experience, and also bringing in a premium gaming experience in partnership with Asus’ Republic of Gamers.

Retailers expect smartphones and two-in-one (tablet/laptop hybrids) and convertible laptops to steal the limelight.

“We are positive about Gitex and the investment hasn’t come down. I have invested in the design and experience of the stand, apart from the exciting offers,” said Mahesh Chotrani, assistant vice-president of Jacky’s Electronics.

“Laptops will steal the limelight, while I am optimistic the smartphone category will also grow but not to the range it was earlier,” he said.

Moreover, Chotrani said that about 60 per cent of his investment is going to laptops category and second will be smartphones. There is no real third category, he said.

“TVs with large-screen sizes will do well, but not great while cameras will do better. There are still people who prefer to have professional SLRs in their hand,” he said.

Jacky’s have created an exclusive experience zone for cameras. “Many retailers’ focus has been on smartphones and the retailers are not promoting cameras properly,” he added.

For gaming enthusiasts, the big news is that the FIFA 17 will be available at the event.

“In the UAE, customers often tend to hold back their purchases to take advantage of deals and promotions across different product segments during high-profile retail exhibitions such as Gitex Shopper,” said Nadeem Khanzadah, head of omnichannel retail at Jumbo Group.

He said that consumers are also looking to buy laptops that are lightweight with faster processors and bigger memory.