Participating retail outlets can expect brisk business at DSF 2006

DSF 2006, which promises to be bigger and better than all the previous editions, begins on January 4, 2006 and will continue till February 4. Registrations would be allowed right up to January 3.

The DSF office is expecting a record number of visitors this year, promising the participating outlets brisk business. "The figures last time were very encouraging. Eighty-five per cent of the outlets in Dubai opted to register for the retail outlets scheme. This year we are expecting a higher response," said Mohammed Al Dehail, DSF Retailer Outlets Coordinator.

Compared to last year's 25 per cent there is a 50 per cent discount on the registration fee this year for retail outlets in sponsor shopping malls.

Al Dehail said registrations for retail outlets wanting to participate in the festival as part of the scheme can collect the application forms from the DSF office. DSF 2006 will have retail participation categories. Interested retailers can collect application forms for any of three categories - Festival Sale, Festival Offers and/or Raffle Draws. In addition, the category of 'DSF Discount' is back during this DSF.

The application form for registration can be collected from the reception desk of the DSF office during office hours and registrations can be done in the evenings at the ground floor of the Department of Economic Development office in Dubai. The application form filled with the relevant details should be submitted along with the corresponding fee at the DSF office on or before January 3, 2006.

Registration timings are from 4pm to 7.30pm from Saturday to Wednesday and from 10am to 1pm on Thursdays.

Participation fees along with the additional 'festival sale' fee, if applicable, must be paid in full at the time of registration. Key sponsors, patrons and support sponsors are exempted from the participation fees. Outlets in shopping malls are eligible for a 50 per cent waiver on the fees but they will have to pay Dh500 if they want to hold a festival sale.

"There are four seasons for sale in a year but the DSF sees all the seasons come together. For the rest of the year shoppers are mostly interested in clothes but come the DSF and they shop for everything under the sun," Al Dehail said.

"Last year participating outlets at shopping malls got a 25 per cent discount on registration fees, this year they are getting 50 per cent," Dehail said.

"We are expecting more than the last year's figures of 3.3 million visitors and as such there would be increased opportunities for retailers to do brisk business."

Al Dehail said the advantages of being a participating retail outlet are manifold, both for the outlet as well as the customer. While the outlet will be assured of increased sales, customer could rest easy with the confidence that merchandise on offer at these outlets would be of the highest quality.

"With innovative shopping promotions and fantastic incentives offered to shoppers every year, the DSF shopping experience aims to offer customers genuine opportunities. With this in mind we have imposed measures to ensure that the participating retail outlets act in accordance with the rules and regulations set by the DSF office," Al Dehail said.

He said since quality merchandise was a key component of the Dubai Shopping Festival, it was the duty of the DSF office to make good on that promise. "We are making sure that all offers, sales and promotions are genuine and beneficial to customers. Any participating outlet that offers fake, duplicate or counterfeit products or brands will be dealt with seriously," Al Dehail said. "However, we have full confidence that all the participating retail outlets will not make promises that they cannot keep."

During the month-long festival, non-participating retail outlets will not get permission from the Department of Economic Development to conduct any promotions or 'sales'. Apart from this, there are a number of terms and conditions that the participating retail outlets will have to adhere to, top of which is that all participating retail outlets will have to honour their offers throughout DSF 2006. Participating outlets will have to deliver their promised offers and those that fail to do so will face stiff penalties, including closure of the shop for the duration of the DSF for serious offenders.

The Dubai Shopping Festival 2005 runs between January 4 and February 4, 2006.