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What UAE Shoppers' Deal-Hunting Habits Mean for Retailers in 2026
More than half of all online transactions in the UAE used a coupon or promo code in the first half of 2026. For UAE retailers, discounts are no longer just a seasonal tactic. They now shape when, where, and how much most customers buy.
We have broken down the habits of UAE shoppers in this post so that retailers in the region can leverage that data to modify some of their business offerings.
Let get straight to the point
Overview of the UAE Ecommerce Market in 2026
The UAE ecommerce market is worth about $12.4 billion in 2026 and is expected to grow at around 12% a year until 2030. Online channels took half of all consumer spending in the country in 2024, up from 42% in 2022, based on Google and Visa purchase data. In neighbouring Saudi Arabia, the online share was 29% over the same period.
Internet use in the UAE stands at 99%, and most shopping now happens on phones. In the first half of 2026, 53% of online purchases were made on a mobile phone, and smartphone orders grew 20.5% year on year.
Some categories have moved almost fully online. Airlines (95%), travel agencies (92%) and food delivery (85%) now see most of their spending happen digitally. Fashion and retail sit lower at 27%, which leaves a lot of room for growth.
UAE Shoppers Now Create Fewer Orders, But in Bigger Baskets
Total online orders in the UAE fell 9% in the first half of 2026. Over the same period, the average online order rose from AED 356 (USD 97) to AED 408 (USD 111), and gross merchandise value in the UAE grew 2%. Across the wider GCC, gross merchandise value dropped 9%.
Orders that used a discount were larger again, averaging AED 448 (USD 122). Shoppers are not saving promo codes for small, impulse buys. They are using them on bigger, planned purchases.
This changes how retailers should judge a promotion. A discount that brings in fewer but larger orders can still grow revenue, as long as margins, stock, and delivery costs are planned around a bigger basket.
Why UAE Shoppers Wait for a Deal While Shopping Online
Price is the main driver. In a McKinsey survey of more than 5,520 grocery shoppers across five MENA markets, including the UAE, only about one in three were happy with the prices they paid. Discount grocery stores in the UAE grew 56% between 2021 and 2024, the fastest rate in the region.
Shopping habits reflect this. According to PwC Middle East, 80% of UAE consumers spend more time searching for the best deals and prices, and 30% wait for big sale events before they buy. Other surveys show that about one in three UAE shoppers hold off on some purchases until a discount is available. 78% say they want to see more discounts from the retailers they use.
Finding a deal also feels good. 81% of UAE shoppers say getting a good deal is satisfying, which is part of why discount-led shopping has become a habit rather than a one-off.
Shoppers Say Loyalty Programs Are Not Keeping Up in the Region
74% of UAE shoppers feel their favourite brands do not reward their loyalty. Interest in loyalty programs is still strong, with 62% saying they are more likely to shop with brands that offer one. The issue is effort: 55% say these programs ask too much of their time, effort or personal data.
Exclusive deals remain the benefit shoppers value most. 90% of UAE shoppers say access to exclusive deals and discounts is a reason to value a paid membership. Retailers in the region are responding by moving away from slow points systems toward instant discounts and member-only prices. McKinsey estimates that well-run loyalty programs can raise a retailer's revenue by 4% to 7%.
Here is the UAE Sale Calendar Retailers Should Plan Around
A few key sale periods drive a large share of yearly online demand in the UAE.
White Friday. This November sale is the busiest online shopping period in the MENA region. In 2025, White Friday and Cyber Monday lifted regional gross merchandise value by 59% and orders by 46% compared with an average week. 41% of UAE shoppers used coupons during the 2025 White Friday sale, and 21% chose cashback or loyalty offers.
Dubai Shopping Festival. The 2025-26 edition offered 25% to 75% off across more than 1,000 brands and 3,500 outlets, up from about 800 brands the year before.
Ramadan and Eid. For Ramadan 2026, retailers cut prices on around 10,000 items, with discounts of up to 65%. A study of 900,000 orders found that online orders during Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr sales rose 40%.
Back to School. In 2025, UAE online orders rose 18% and gross merchandise value 22% during the back-to-school period. The average order climbed from AED 360 to AED 422, and fashion made up 27% of baskets.
Stock, staff and delivery capacity need to be ready before these peaks, not during them. Retailers still working from spreadsheets often run out of best sellers in the first days of a sale. As covered in this look at how ERP systems support Dubai's retail and ecommerce growth, connected inventory and order data makes it easier to forecast demand for each event. Delivery is the other pressure point, so lining up logistics and delivery partners with spare capacity well before November is worth the effort.
Where UAE Shoppers Look For and Find Their Deals
In the first half of 2026, around 15% of UAE shoppers relied on online media and content websites when making shopping decisions, and 13% were influenced by social media. AI tools are also part of the process, with recent studies finding that 70% to 80% of UAE consumers use AI for product research and price comparisons.
Coupon and deal sites are part of this research step. Many shoppers check a platform such as GrabOn UAE for working codes before they pay, especially during big sale weeks. For retailers, this means a promo code rarely stays private. Once it is live, it can reach thousands of shoppers through deal sites, social posts and AI answers. Every code should have clear terms, an end date and a minimum spend that protects your margin.
A Quick Heads Up For UAE Retailers
Plan promotions around basket size. Minimum-spend thresholds, bundles and tiered offers, such as AED 50 off orders above AED 300, fit the way UAE shoppers already buy.
Set your sale calendar early. Decide which events you will join, what you will discount and how deep, then plan stock and delivery capacity around those dates.
Make loyalty simple. Instant member prices and exclusive codes are easier to understand than points that take months to redeem.
Build for mobile first. With more than half of online purchases made on phones, the promo code field should be easy to find and apply on a small screen.
Work with deal channels, not against them. Shoppers will look for codes either way. Sharing official codes with trusted deal platforms gives you more control over terms and timing than leaving it to chance.
Keep campaigns consistent across channels. If your offer reads differently on your website, social pages and partner sites, shoppers lose trust. Experienced marketing agencies in the UAE can help plan and run promotions across all of them.
Final Thoughts
UAE shoppers have not stopped spending online. They are spending more per order, but they plan those orders around discounts, sale dates and member prices. Retailers that plan their promotions with the same care will win a larger share of those bigger baskets.
Sources: Google and Visa purchase data (2022 to 2024), McKinsey & Company, PwC Middle East, Khaleej Times, Gulf News, Gulf Business.
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