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Friday market: The joy of thrift shopping
By Heba Elayyan, Jordan News
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For two days of the week, all boundaries among different
segments of the Jordanian society disappear, and what is left is the joy of
thrift shopping at the Friday market.اضافة اعلان
Friday market is often touted as the go-to place for shopping and more by many Jordanians and foreigners, “as it is open to everyone; there are people who love thrift shopping, and there are people who do not have enough money. Everyone, rich or poor, comes here hoping to find what they need”, said Hasan Al-Shaer, one of the merchants.
About 100 merchants sell their wares at the Friday market, each at their stall; most use the occasion to supplement their income or to sell last season’s products. (Photo: Lujain Amjad Maali)
The market is held in the Ras Al-Ein area every Thursday and Friday; activity starts at 9 in the morning, the gates close at 7pm. According to Ahmad Ameer, a vendor at the Friday market, “we come on Wednesday only to drop our goods and prepare our stalls”.
The goods, mostly clothes, and shoes, but also toys and antiques, are purchased from retailers who buy them from companies and traders dealing with Europe, said Ameer.
“In the market, we have all types of brands, from Gucci, Zara to H&M, and a price range from JD0.5 to JD15; the shoes are the most expensive,” added Ameer.
The number of customers per day varies depending on the weather or occasions, like Eid, for example, but the average for the two days the market is open is around 100,00 customers, said Ameer.
(Photo: Lujain Amjad Maali)
“People buy from the Friday market because they may find goods of better quality than the new one sold these days, when, as we know, the local market is full of clothes of terrible quality that one may have to discard after one use,” Ameer said.
Shaer, on the other hand, said that “people buy from here because of their economic situation; instead of spending their money on clothes, they prefer to spend it on necessities, like food, and buy cheaper clothes from the Friday market”.
Shoppers at the Friday market have their reasons for visiting the market. Abdullah Maali, one of the customers, said that “I like to come to the market because it gathers all of my favorite brands under affordable prices, as I found Adidas for only JD3, not to mention that most of the goods do not look like they are used”.
(File photo: Ameer Khalifeh/Jordan News)
Some people may be ashamed to buy pre-worn clothes, but Mai Al-Akhras, a regular at the Friday market, said she is “always so proud because what I find here does not exist in other places, not to mention the low prices, especially of household antiques and shoes”.
Alaa Al-Masry, one other customer, believes it is not a shame to tell anybody that one buys used clothes, “but I usually tell this only to my family and close friends; I remember I found here a Louis Vuitton bag for JD20 that they sell outside for JD110”.
“Due to the pandemic, there is no shame left. The economic situation makes people forego the shame of buying used clothes,” Shaer said.
(File photo: Ameer Khalifeh/Jordan News)
The pandemic brought the number of customers down, because people are afraid of buying goods exported from Europe, which has most countries affected by COVID-19, said Ameer, stressing that the goods are sterilized in the country of origin and at the Customs Department, under close monitoring by Jordan Standards and Metrology Organization.
Imad Al-Dean Al-Kara, shipping and transport expert, said that the Customs Department imposes many conditions on used-clothes importers; they vary depending on the country of origin.
(File photo: Ameer Khalifeh/Jordan News)
Sometimes the department asks import companies or traders to fumigate the goods before getting them into the country, to be rodent and viruses free, he added.
While importers follow protocols imposed by the pandemic, vendors and customers follow their whims. Overall, though, customers seem more aware of the need to take protective measures.
“I take safety measures when I buy goods from anywhere, like wearing a mask and washing what I bought before wearing it,” said Akhras.
Read more Where to Go
Friday market is often touted as the go-to place for shopping and more by many Jordanians and foreigners, “as it is open to everyone; there are people who love thrift shopping, and there are people who do not have enough money. Everyone, rich or poor, comes here hoping to find what they need”, said Hasan Al-Shaer, one of the merchants.
About 100 merchants sell their wares at the Friday market, each at their stall; most use the occasion to supplement their income or to sell last season’s products. (Photo: Lujain Amjad Maali)
The market is held in the Ras Al-Ein area every Thursday and Friday; activity starts at 9 in the morning, the gates close at 7pm. According to Ahmad Ameer, a vendor at the Friday market, “we come on Wednesday only to drop our goods and prepare our stalls”.
The goods, mostly clothes, and shoes, but also toys and antiques, are purchased from retailers who buy them from companies and traders dealing with Europe, said Ameer.
Friday market... is open to everyone; there are people who love thrift shopping, and there are people who do not have enough money.About 100 merchants sell their wares at the Friday market, each at their stall; most use the occasion to supplement their income or to sell last season’s products.
“In the market, we have all types of brands, from Gucci, Zara to H&M, and a price range from JD0.5 to JD15; the shoes are the most expensive,” added Ameer.
The number of customers per day varies depending on the weather or occasions, like Eid, for example, but the average for the two days the market is open is around 100,00 customers, said Ameer.
(Photo: Lujain Amjad Maali)
“People buy from the Friday market because they may find goods of better quality than the new one sold these days, when, as we know, the local market is full of clothes of terrible quality that one may have to discard after one use,” Ameer said.
Shaer, on the other hand, said that “people buy from here because of their economic situation; instead of spending their money on clothes, they prefer to spend it on necessities, like food, and buy cheaper clothes from the Friday market”.
Shoppers at the Friday market have their reasons for visiting the market. Abdullah Maali, one of the customers, said that “I like to come to the market because it gathers all of my favorite brands under affordable prices, as I found Adidas for only JD3, not to mention that most of the goods do not look like they are used”.
(File photo: Ameer Khalifeh/Jordan News)
Some people may be ashamed to buy pre-worn clothes, but Mai Al-Akhras, a regular at the Friday market, said she is “always so proud because what I find here does not exist in other places, not to mention the low prices, especially of household antiques and shoes”.
Alaa Al-Masry, one other customer, believes it is not a shame to tell anybody that one buys used clothes, “but I usually tell this only to my family and close friends; I remember I found here a Louis Vuitton bag for JD20 that they sell outside for JD110”.
“Due to the pandemic, there is no shame left. The economic situation makes people forego the shame of buying used clothes,” Shaer said.
(File photo: Ameer Khalifeh/Jordan News)
The pandemic brought the number of customers down, because people are afraid of buying goods exported from Europe, which has most countries affected by COVID-19, said Ameer, stressing that the goods are sterilized in the country of origin and at the Customs Department, under close monitoring by Jordan Standards and Metrology Organization.
Imad Al-Dean Al-Kara, shipping and transport expert, said that the Customs Department imposes many conditions on used-clothes importers; they vary depending on the country of origin.
(File photo: Ameer Khalifeh/Jordan News)
Sometimes the department asks import companies or traders to fumigate the goods before getting them into the country, to be rodent and viruses free, he added.
While importers follow protocols imposed by the pandemic, vendors and customers follow their whims. Overall, though, customers seem more aware of the need to take protective measures.
“I take safety measures when I buy goods from anywhere, like wearing a mask and washing what I bought before wearing it,” said Akhras.
Read more Where to Go
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