Outlets offer installment offers with “Back to School” discounts

Consumers said that a number of retail outlets have recently launched offers to pay for purchases in installments as part of their back-to-school sales campaigns.

They told Al-Emarat Al-Youm that most of the installment offers are made in four payments, which reduces the financial burden on them, but they called for expanding these offers and offering them by various outlets throughout the year, especially during seasons that witness high demand.

For their part, specialists in the retail sector stated that these offers are considered new competitive aspects in the markets, through which stores seek to increase their sales and market share at higher rates, indicating that they are due to agreements with companies specializing in installment offers, and are subject to conditions agreed upon between the two parties.

In detail, the consumer, Abdul Rahim Eid, said that many retail outlets have recently offered installment offers for purchases over four payments, as part of the discount campaigns offered on the occasion of the return to school, considering that this is one of the positive and beneficial aspects for consumers, but at the same time he stressed the importance of expanding it among the different sales outlets, especially during seasons when purchasing increases, such as holidays and the month of Ramadan.

For his part, consumer Ali Ibrahim said that when he was buying from one of the outlets specializing in selling school supplies, he was surprised by offers to pay for purchases in installments, which motivated him to take advantage of these offers, especially with regard to purchasing electronic devices related to schools, such as laptops and tablets.

Consumer Mahmoud Sami agreed on the importance of expanding the offers of installment purchases, and offering them throughout the year, not just during certain seasons, which reduces the financial burdens on consumers.

Consumer Moataz Marwan confirmed that the installment offers offered in conjunction with the “Back to School Discounts” provided him with new shopping options, especially during the school season, when families are forced to buy many supplies, in addition to paying school fees.

He called for expanding the installment offers in terms of installments, so that there would be six installments instead of four, in addition to applying them in various sales outlets.

In turn, the CEO of Community Relations at Union Coop, Dr. Suhail Al Bastaki, said that the installment offers for purchases, which have recently begun to spread widely among a number of retail stores as part of the back-to-school campaigns, provide additional competitive options for consumer families, especially during a season that witnesses a significant growth in demand such as the back-to-school season.

He added that the installment offers appeared gradually and limitedly at first, until they spread at higher rates during the recent period, explaining that these offers are due to agreements with companies specializing in installment offers, and are subject to conditions agreed upon by the sales outlets with those companies, such as the value of purchases that can be paid in installments, which in most outlets are for purchases worth more than 1000 dirhams.

For his part, Dilip Vishal, Purchasing Manager at one of the retail chains, said that the outlets have launched extensive installment offers in conjunction with the special back-to-school discounts, in order to benefit from the increased demand before and during the start of the new school year. He attributed the increase in these offers to the recent increase in competition between outlets, through which stores seek to increase sales rates and market shares at higher rates, noting that the number of installment payments is due to the requirements available from the companies responsible for the installment offers. In the same context, the retail trade expert and head of Al-Bahr Consulting Company, Ibrahim Al-Bahr, considered that the installment purchase offers that were recently launched in the markets are one of the new competitive aspects and means.

He said that paying for purchases in installments is a useful option for consumers if it is used well during discount offers, noting that it reduces financial burdens when shopping, especially during certain seasons such as back to school.

• Consumers called for offering offers throughout the year, especially during seasons that witness high demand.