Online shopping in Middle East to surge during Ramadan

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Online shopping in Middle East to surge during Ramadan
Spending more time online? How about sparing some of it to buy gifts for your loved ones?

Dubai - With more time spent on mobiles, online shopping tends to surge in Middle East, says Souq.com

By Rohma Sadaqat

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Published: Mon 13 Jun 2016, 7:34 PM

Last updated: Wed 22 Jun 2016, 12:11 PM

A combination of reduced work hours and the celebratory atmosphere during the holy month of Ramadan has consumers in the Middle East spending more time online than they normally do, Souq.com has found.
As a result, consumers also tend to purchase more items for their households and for the purpose of gifting during the period. Last year, Souq.com witnessed significant growth in m-commerce and app purchases during Ramadan, reiterating that mobile devices are used more often than any other device in the region, and moreso during Ramadan.
The online traffic in the UAE was at its peak between 11am to 4pm, whereas in Saudi Arabia it was particularly high during 9pm to 4am and 2pm to 4pm.
"People in the Mena region are now online more than ever before, and in Ramadan this trend escalates even further," said Ronaldo Mouchawar, CEO and co-founder of Souq.com. "With consumers spending more time online during Ramadan fuelled by seasonal demand for shopping and gifting, the e-commerce industry is set to witness significant upsurge during this festive season."
A look back at the most popular search topics during Ramadan in 2014 and 2015 using Google data reveals that online deals and Ramadan promotions, among other things, were what consumers were mainly searching for. While consumer electronics were leading the way in terms of sales during Ramadan in 2015, Souq.com also experienced an increase in the number of lifestyle products sold, especially via its mobile app.
This trend was emphasised more towards the last week of Ramadan, when consumers are looking for Eid Al Fitr gifts. Google data also reported a peak in search interest for perfumes and celebratory clothes for the holidays.
"Ramadan has always been an exciting period for Souq.com and we will continue to fulfill the increase in consumer demand. Last year, we saw an increase in online consumer spending by 24 per cent in the UAE and 15 per cent in the Saudi Arabia during Ramadan, and we expect similar uplift this year," Mouchawar said.
"We observed a huge increase in new users for categories such as consumer electronics and a pattern of repetitive buying for fashion and lifestyle products. Today's tech-savvy consumers understand the advantages of shopping online such as convenience, competitive pricing, and a greater variety."
To capitalise on consumers' increased online consumption, Souq.com has announced its exclusive Ramadan deals across categories such as fashion clothing, shoes and handbags, consumer electronics, home appliances and many more.
In addition to purchasing gifts for family and friends, it is estimated that spending on food items will also rise significantly during Ramadan in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The latest survey conducted by YouGov found that 53 per cent of respondents will spend more, of which 93 per cent expect to increase their spend specifically on regular household items such as food, drinks and groceries. Due to the perishability of these items, consumers are likely to buy them regularly rather than in bulk and therefore price-offs and discounts are the most appealing promotions for 78 per cent of consumers in all three countries.
Offers related to bulk purchases have higher appeal for personal care and household care products. The top products consumers intend to increase their consumption of during Ramadan are dates at 73 per cent, laban at 62 per cent, yogurt at 61 per cent and powdered soft drinks, squashes and cordials, all at 53 per cent.
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com


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