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Mena customers likely to spend 10% more on November sales

Every year brands are shifting their focus more and more away from specific dates

Published: Tue 26 Nov 2024, 10:39 PM

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Customers in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region are likely spend 10 per cent more on online purchases during this week’s White Friday sales, supported by an overall growth in e-commerce spending in the region of eight per cent in 2024, a study showed.

According to forecasts from the Admitad partner network, this year brands are actively offering warm-up deals and have already started preparations for White Friday — every year there is a fierce struggle for each customer.

Admitad experts studied more than 200 million orders worldwide and more than 6.7 million orders in Mena for 2023 and 2024 - both during the regular period and during November sales.

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 — “warm-up” period with discounts and special offers before the sales starts earlier and earlier, sometimes two to three weeks before the event itself. The main sale period also extends from one to three days to a week or more.

Anna Gidirim, CEO of Admitad, said: “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. 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.”

WalaPlus, a key player in the rewards and loyalty space in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, 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.

What goods will Mena customers hunt for?

As peak sales period approaches, all sectors — including retail, F&B, and services — join the wave with special deals. Last year in Saudi Arabia, WalaPlus observed a 60 per cent growth in gift card sales, particularly targeting retail stores launching 11.11 and White Friday campaigns.

Growth was notable across several categories:

● Perfumes: +70 per cent

● Home: +30 per cent

● Beauty & Fashion: +30 per cent

Admitad’s data supports this view, with marketplaces accounting for 67 per cent of all online purchases during White Friday. Leading categories include electronics (24 per cent), fashion (17.2 per cent), and home & garden (13 per cent). Year-on-year growth is also evident in car products (+20 per cent), fashion (+21 per cent), and sports goods (+17 per cent).

Vikas Chadha, CEO of Jumbo Electronics Ltd. said: “We are forecasting a significant surge in sales this year during the White Friday 2024, with an anticipated 2 times growth compared to last year. This reflects the growing enthusiasm among customers for our deals and our robust preparations to meet their expectations. In terms of percentage, we expect 1.5 times higher than our regular days. This year, some of our bestsellers include the highly anticipated PS5 Pro, PS5, MacBook, and a variety of gaming laptops, which continue to capture the interest of tech-savvy and gaming enthusiasts alike. We are observing a growing trend in the demand for AI-integrated PCs and notebooks. Currently, about 15% of our total notebook sales are attributed to AI-enhanced models.”

He added, “One notable trend this year is the increasing shift toward online shopping, particularly for gaming products and appliances. This highlights the growing preference for convenience and seamless digital experiences among our customers.”

Last year, the share of orders using cashback during sales topped 20 per cent. In 2024, according to Admitad, Mena customers received cashback for 25 per cent of purchases. The presence of a store on the cashback storefront page or the option to receive cashback for a certain product has become one of the main factors influencing purchase decisions.

Another manifestation of the smart shopping trend is the growing importance of coupons and promo codes. Their share in the total number of orders has increased from nine 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.

For example, Admitad launched its New Generation Promo codes tool in 2024, which allows brands to automatically assign promo codes to publishers (influencers, content platforms, etc.) based on how well they engage customers. It also solves the problem of cross-device tracking and bypasses ad blockers. In the first three months, the number of affiliate sales and targeted actions for brands using the tool grows by 30-40 per cent. This shows that most companies still have huge untapped potential to grow sales through coupons and promo codes.

But the leading role in this year’s sales will be played by affiliate websites, content platforms and social networks, whose influence in 2024 has increased even more. This year they are responsible for 25 per cent, 19 per cent and 17 per cent of all attracted online sales. “Without a doubt those traffic sources should be included in every marketing strategy for White Friday,” a statement said.



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