«حُسْنِ السُّوقْ وَلَا حُسْنِ الْبُضَاعَهْ»

Whether goods sell depends far more on the state of the market than on how good they are. Quality still matters, but demand weighs more. With eager buyers, ordinary wares move quickly; in a slack season, even excellent merchandise may sit unsold.

The saying is also applied to someone truly skilled in a field nobody currently needs. Real mastery earns little when there is no demand for it, since value is realized only when others want what is offered.

Use it when success turns on demand rather than merit, letting context show which sense is meant: a mediocre product selling briskly in a busy season, or an expert whose skill finds no takers at the moment.