Online clothing sales soar in Bahrain as customers seek quality and affordability

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

More consumers in Bahrain are choosing to shop online rather than visit physical stores since they can purchase high-quality apparel at reasonable rates from online retailers. Customers claim that this is true even when internet shopping lacks the in-person experience.

As consumers are drawn in by the comfort and low prices of online shopping, popular apparel labels with online stores are flourishing. Customers said that promotional offers for free shipping, daily specials, and coupon codes are all helping online apparel shopping become more popular.

Hala, a 24-year-old Bahraini woman, has been avoiding in-person clothing shopping ever since online shopping gained popularity in Bahrain. She says she can find the best deals and the widest selection of quality clothes online.

She added that the significant factor driving customers to online stores is the difference in prices when compared to offline stores. A sweater from the online store of any popular brand would cost between BD15 and BD25, whereas they are priced only between BD4 and BD10 at online stores, she said.

Similar is the case with jeans, which cost around BD17 a pair if purchased from the official retailer of a popular brand, compared to BD10 at online stores, she said. She pointed out that basic clothing items such as t-shirts cost only BD3 at online stores, whereas they cost around BD7 at offline stores.

Even though customers cannot try on clothes in person when shopping online, many online stores have sections where other customers can post reviews and photos of themselves wearing the products, Hala said.

This helps prospective customers see how the clothes will look on different body types and sizes, she added, while noting that it has reduced the number of products she has to return. While online shopping has become increasingly popular, not everyone is comfortable with it. Some people prefer to shop in person, where they can see and touch the products before they buy them.

Louis, a 20-year-old American, is one of those people. He says he prefers the excitement of shopping in person. "If occasionally I find a better deal online than in the store, I will consider the delivery time. But frequently, when I’ve shopped online, the item wasn’t what I had anticipated when it arrived, so I’d have to waste time sending it back," he said.