UAE, Saudi Arabia lead MENA's e-commerce growth in 2024
Mubasher: The e-commerce sector in the MENA region, valued at $1.80 billion, grew by 30% in 2024, according to a joint report by Flowwow and Admitad.
The market witnessed online orders growth in 2024, with 7% increases in the UAE and 9% in Saudi Arabia, anchoring their positions as the region's industry leaders.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait topped contributors by gross merchandise value (GMV) of online sales. Turkey and Egypt followed due to large populations and digital expansion.
Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Algeria, and Bahrain also benefitted from increased mobile commerce.
Online orders in the UAE and Saudi Arabia surged by 7% and 9% in online orders, respectively, compared to an average 5% growth across the MENA region.
The research also highlighted a jump in average order values (AOV) in the region during 2024.
In MENA, the AOV grew from $30 in 2023 to $35.60 in 2024, with the UAE showing a rise from $89 to $102 and Saudi Arabia from $49.60 to $52.50.
Online gaming topped product categories for order growth in MENA, with orders up a whopping 32%.
B2B services and fashion also recorded a surge of 25% and 23%, respectively.
Anna Gidirim, CEO of Admitad, commented: 'MENA e-commerce is moving toward AI-driven personalisation, community-orientated strategies, tailored marketing approaches, and content platforms like TikTok and Pinterest as key shopping hubs for Generation Z.'
As per a recent research, the UAE Gifting Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 14.7% during 2024-2030. The gifting marketplace solidified its position in the United Arab Emirates, with over 200 active sellers, with 150 based in Dubai.
These local sellers have made significant contributions to revenue growth by offering more than 24,000 available gifts across the UAE, from flowers to jewellery, to cater to varied customer preferences and ensure rapid fulfilment across key cities.
Slava Bogdan, CEO of Flowwow, commented: 'The development of the e-commerce and gifting markets, along with support for local entrepreneurship (SMEs), drives economic growth and creates new opportunities for both individuals and local businesses in the region.'
The MENA region, with the UAE in particular, leads the drive in our company's development in the global market. Our record-breaking 2024 results have set the stage for even greater growth to come. In 2025-2026, we are expecting a 4x increase and YoY growth of +300% in the region,' Bogdan added.
The MENA $50 billion e-commerce continues to develop trends based on user-friendly technology, community-driven mechanics, and personalised mobile shopping experiences.
Flowwow and Admitad expected that the sector will continue to grow in 2025, driven by the overall expansion of the digital economy and government initiatives across the region.
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