You can buy pretty much anything you want in Doha, apart from pork products and alcohol except with a licence or in the major hotels. Shopping is a major leisure pursuit of many Qataris and expats, and you can expect cheaper prices than Dubai. As with most of the Middle East, be prepared to bargain.
souqs
The best shopping experiences, however, are to be had in the various souqs markets. Not far from the Corniche near an HSBC branch and a landmark spiral tower is the Souq Waqif also referred to as the Iranian Souq or Old Souq, a good place to pick up souvenirs and to see falcons for sale with a pleasant ambience. Another souq worth visiting is the Omani Souq on Haloul St, parallel to Salwa Road. There you can buy things like spices, incense and woven baskets. Next door is a vegetable market.
The Gold Souq, near HSBC by the bus station, is the place to buy gold and jewellery.
malls
Typically, most malls in Doha are open from 10am to 10pm Saturday to Thursday. Most will be closed on Friday mornings but will open up during the evening, when they'll be the most crowded. Also, be aware that some malls schedule "Family Days", where single men will be turned away at the door. In practice, however, most Westerners will be allowed in, but brown-skinned persons particularly South Asians in their native dressing will be turned away.
City Centre-Doha opened in April 2001 and is the largest shopping centre in Qatar. Located in West Bay, the modern part of the city on the Northern end of the Corniche, it offers a large and diverse shopping experience, including several jewellery and perfume stores. For entertainment there is a large multiplex cinema, a bowling alley, a children's arcade, as well as an indoor ice skating rink. There are several eating options including two food courts as well as several sit-down restaurants. By western standards, this mall is quite dated for its age, but remains popular due to its large size and ideal location. Finally, the mall is home to a large Carrefour supermarket.
Villaggio is one of Doha's newest malls, located near the Aspire Centre. The mall is designed to look like Venice in terms of architecture. The mall is home to many western stores, as well as a large Carrefour. The food court is home to several Western-style fast food restaurants, as well as several sit-down options. For entertainment, there is currently a long canal offering gondola rides for 15 QR and an ice-skating rink for 30 QR. A cinema is in the works for the future. Update: this 3D Cinema opened in mid 2010. Update: This mall is currently closed due to a major fire.
Hyatt Plaza is located near Sports City and the newer Villaggio in the Western suburbs. This shopping mall is comparatively smaller than others, but as a plus it is always less crowded. There is a good sized food court and a large children's playland called "Jungle Zone."
Landmark Shopping Mall (http://landmarkdoha.com/e...) focuses mostly on clothing, jewellery, and cosmetics. There is also a Carrefour market for groceries. It is located in the northern suburbs.
The Mall was opened in October 1997 and is Qatar's first shopping mall. Tourists are better off going to any of the aforementioned locations if they wish to purchase store goods.