MENA shoppers to increase spending by 10% in November mega sales: Study finds

The additional shopping spree is supported by an 8 per cent jump in the overall e-commerce spending in the region in 2024, the study by global performing marketplace Admitad and WalaPlus, operator of employee loyalty programme, said.

Brands are actively offering warm-up deals and have already started preparations for ‘White Friday’, it said.

Admitad said its experts studied more than 6.7 million orders in MENA for 2023 and 2024 – both during the regular period and during November sales – to arrive at the forecasts.

“Every year brands are shifting their focus more and more away from specific dates. The importance of 11.11 – or ‘White Friday’ – itself is steadily decreasing with “warm-up” period discounts and special offers commencing earlier and earlier before the sales starts,” it said.

The main sale period also extends from 1-3 days to a week or more.

“This trend of extending the sales period took hold last year, and in 2024, companies are planning not just one-off discounts but an extended period of increased customer activity,” Anna Gidirim, CEO of Admitad, said, adding that brands are leveraging waves of special offers for different categories to maintain momentum.

“With e-commerce spending in MENA growing by 8 per cent this year, we see steady demand during the November sales period,” Gidirim said.

WalaPlus, a key player in the rewards and loyalty space in KSA and UAE, said it observed that partners are offering an extra discount percentage on top of their regular offers for the November season.

“This additional benefit, aimed at users in the private and government sectors, has resulted in significant growth in conversions and transactions,” the company said.

The study said as peak sales period approaches, all sectors, including retail, F&B, and services, are joining the wave with special deals.

The study said another manifestation of the smart shopping trend this year is the growing importance of coupons and promo codes.

Their share in the total number of orders is estimated to have increased from 9 per cent to 12 per cent in 2024.

“These tools are not new to brands, but the ways in which they are used have taken a step forward, both against the backdrop of tighter regulation on personal data tracking and because brands are looking to improve their effectiveness,” the study said.