Jordan Chamber of Commerce forecasts online, local shopping spree on upcoming ‘White Friday’

AMMAN — Trade activity in local markets and online stores is expected to increase this weekend on White Friday, according to the clothing, footwear and jewellery sector at the Jordan Chamber of Commerce.

Owners of international trademarks and brands are “more acquainted with selling their products via social media than Jordanian traders who count on the consumers' presence in their stores to sell their products”, the sector’s representative Asad Qawasmi said on Monday.

He added that because areas in Jordan are “close to each other”, leading customers to visit stores and examine products themselves, most sellers are inclined to advertise their goods at their stores rather than on social media.

Customs fees on online purchasing “would not form an obstacle for consumers on White Friday as item prices are very low”, Qawasmi told The Jordan Times.

Parcels entering Jordan are subject to 5 to 10 per cent tax and services fees, while local products are subject to 45 to 50 per cent tax, customs, licensing and operational fees, which creates “unequal competition”, Qawasmi said.

He also called on the government to lower the tax and customs charges imposed on the local market to “achieve justice”.

He said that customers tend to face more problems when purchasing products online, encouraging buyers to shop at Jordanian stores. Customers might end up with items of low quality or ones that do not match the advertised products, as they do not examine the products closely, according to Qawasmi.

To support the local market, he urged Jordanians who prefer online purchasing to seek out Jordanian stores that promote their products on social media.

Arab countries prefer to describe the last Friday in November as White Friday, as opposed to Black Friday, Qawasmi noted.