From packed perfume stores to busy tyre shops and bakeries working on bulk orders, businesses across the UAE are seeing a rise in customer activity ahead of the Eid Al Adha holidays.
While some residents are keeping a watch on spending, many are still shopping for family gatherings, gifting and road trips before the peak summer season begins.
Perfume retailers said that Eid gifting remains one of the biggest drivers during this period, especially for customers sending presents to relatives abroad.
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“We understand that people are a little hesitant to spend during the current situation, so we have introduced some Eid offers,” said Samjeer Yousuf Ali, CEO, Oud World.
“We are still getting good crowds, especially in the evenings. Many customers are buying perfumes in bulk for Eid gifting boxes. Some are also sending gifts to their families back home before Eid,” he added.
Tyre shops are also witnessing increased demand as residents prepare for long drives during the extended break.
“It’s a long weekend and also, almost the end of good outdoor weather before summer, [so it] becomes very harsh,” said Usman from Al Fawzan Tyres.
“Many people want to take this opportunity to travel before the heat increases, so road trips are becoming common. We are getting many enquiries for tyre changes and servicing. Some customers are even asking us to do the service at their homes,” he said.
Usman added that many residents are checking tyres, batteries and air conditioning systems before travelling to destinations across the UAE and nearby regions.
Bakeries said that families are placing advance orders for sweets, cakes and traditional Eid items for gatherings and gifting.
“We have been receiving bulk Eid orders for the past few days,” said Abdullah, a sales executive at Shamseen Bakery.
“People usually order cakes, pastries, Arabic sweets, hot snacks and gift boxes for family visits and get-togethers. Some companies are also placing larger orders for staff and Eid celebrations,” he said.
Restaurants are also preparing for one of the busiest periods of the month, especially for large family meals.
Restaurant manager at Grand Bangalore Taj in A Nahda said that special Eid biryani preparations have already started to meet expected demand. “We prepare more than 500kg of biryani during Eid because many families order in bulk for gatherings,” he said.
“Some customers place orders for relatives or for large family functions. Orders usually increase heavily one or two days before Eid,” he added.
Tailoring shops, especially in older markets such as Rolla in Sharjah, are seeing a different trend this Eid Al Adha season compared to Eid Al Fitr. “Customised stitching orders are less this time because most people usually shop heavily during Eid Al Fitr,” said Naseem Ahmed, a master tailor in Rolla.
“But we keep readymade kanduras and clothes in different sizes. Many customers come at the last minute before Eid. We only do small fittings and deliver quickly,” he said.
Source: Khaleej Times