Shopping in Qatar
Shopping is one of the most talked-about subjects for all expatriates in Qatar. This is because the availability of many consumer goods, especially foodstuffs, is a bit erratic and also because an inordinate amount of people's free time is spent on shopping, voluntarily or involuntarily.
In a nutshell, Qatar is an excellent place to buy the following :
cosmetics
perfumes
electronic goods (including domestic machinery)
watches
cars (at least the makes that are available here)
gold
fabrics
mobile phones
All the above are relatively cheap for westerners and can be found in a multitude of outlets.
Qatar is an average place to buy these consumer items :
food
cheap clothes
sporting goods
flowers
household items
carpets and curtains
western magazines and newspapers (English ones are the most common - the rest are not well stocked)
furniture
pop and rock CD's
and finally, Qatar is not a good place to buy :
cutting edge fashion
books
shoes
classical music CDs
underwear
any items of modern design (e.g. cutlery, crockery, ornaments, furniture etc.)
The import of consumer goods into the country is organised by companies who act as agencies for various overseas manufacturers. Hence, even so called department stores are limited in the range of goods they offer for sale. This means that if you want to shop around for an item such as a fridge, you will have to visit all sorts of outlets, each of which will only stock fridges from one or two manufacturers. This can make shopping for just about anything (other than food) rather time consuming unless you know exactly what you want before you set out to buy it.
TYPES OF SHOPS
There are several types of shops in Qatar.
Traditionally, shopping in the Middle East is carried out in Souqs. These are clusters of small shops, often selling the same time of goods, all housed under one roof, or sometimes in an outdoor area.
Several of these souqs exist in Qatar and are much patronised by Qatari Nationals, other Arab nationalities and Asians.
Although many western expatriates enjoy visiting souqs for the experience, or indeed for the relatively cheap prices of goods that can be found in them, many find the crowds, lack of easy parking facilities and relative lack of western consumer goods sold in souqs a drawback, preferring to shop in more western-style outlets.
Visiting souqs is definitely a worthwhile experience - they are colourful, bustling and quite exotic. Good bargains can frequently be found, although you will need plenty of time to rummage. Souq shopping is definitely not a convenience activity!
The main types of souq in Doha are:
The fruit and vegetable souqs (wholesale markets located just off the Salwa Road, about twenty minutes drive from the centre of Doha).
The meat and fish souqs (in the same area as the above).
The Old souq, which sells a range of items from tools, spices, kitchenware, towels, shoes, fabrics, watches and various other commodities. This was the original souq area in the town, and has been somewhat cleaned up and modernised over the past ten years or so. Located in the "souq" area, just behind the Corniche off Abdullah Bin Jasim Street (see map), the souq is also well known as a place to get shoe and other leather repairs carried out.
The Gold souq, (behind the Alfardan Centre off Grand Hamad Avenue) is a cluster of shops selling masses of gold jewellery. Designs tend to be rather traditional, either Arabic or Indian style (which may seem overly ornate for Western tastes) but the prices are comparatively cheap and plenty of chains, earrings, bracelets and rings can be found in comparatively plain styles. Gold is sold by weight, according to daily rates, and good discounts may be had.
The Iranian souq, located near the shoe repair area of the old souq, is a good place to find tools and second hand goods, along with a few carpets.
Souq Asiery, souq Nasser Bin Saif and souq Falah all specialise in fabrics. As most Arabic women have their clothes made by tailors rather than buying ready made items, fabrics are much in demand in the Gulf. These range from the incredibly cheap artificial fibres to the more expensive silks, linens and cottons. A huge range of patterns and types of fabric is available.
The general rule when visiting souqs is to be prepared to bargain. This is a way of life in the Middle East, and you are never expected to pay the initial asking price. The more you buy, the better the discount you are likely to get. Bargaining is a game of nerves and you can offer the most outrageously low price, knowing that you will end up paying what the retailer wants in the end. The vendors know their limits and seem to enjoy the banter that the whole process involves.
Bargaining is a good natured affair and can be fun, if you've got the patience to go along with it. Bargaining does not apply to all retail outlets in Qatar however, and it is as well to define this at the outset. Many of the more modern shops, especially food outlets, deal only in fixed prices. |
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