Jeddah is a shopping city — historically a port for goods entering the Hijaz, today a centre for Gulf retail. There are two complementary scenes: the traditional souks in Al Balad (Souk Al-Alawi, Souk Al-Khaskeya, the gold souk) sell spices, perfumes, frankincense, fabric, and gold; the modern malls (Red Sea Mall, Mall of Arabia, Stars Avenue) on the city's north side carry international brands and run late into the night.
Gold is a Saudi specialty — sold by weight at the daily market price, with the workmanship charged separately. Frankincense, oud (agarwood) oil, and dates are the most distinctive souvenirs.