Look: Inside UAE's virtual mall offering 95% discounts, crowd-free shopping for Eid

Khaleej Times

27-03-2025

Starting Thursday, UAE residents can pick avatars and walk around a mall to shop for the best deals, without getting out of their chair.
The Great Online Sale (GOS), which offers up to 95 per cent discounts, returns this year in a new gamified format which gives residents the opportunity to score Eid gifts and pick up home décor in a virtual mall.
On the website of the sale, visitors can enter their email address and pick an avatar before walking around the virtual mall to pick the category they want to shop from, including fashion, home, electronics and health and beauty. Once they pick a category, they are led to a website which has a list of the participating outlets. The users can then choose a brand and explore discounted items from inside the mall.
Organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), the citywide sale offers an extended four-day shopping spree this year. It also gives shoppers the chance to win Dh100,000, and unlock bonus cash prizes worth up to Dh50,000. According to Mohammed Feras Arayqat, Associate Vice President (AVP) of Retail Calendar and Promotions at the DFRE, the response to the sale has been positive.
'People can sign up on the portal, create their own avatars and jump into a virtual mall type of experience where they can walk around,' he said. 'It is a very interesting experience and we're already seeing great hype since the morning, with people waiting in queue to participate.'
When Khaleej Times logged into the website on Thursday morning, there was a wait of a few minutes in queue before being allowed in. The immersive shopping experience allows users to digitally explore hundreds of top brands and enjoy additional savings.
Arayqat said that the idea for the concept of the 'intraverse' came from wanting to engage with the younger audiences. 'We know that Gen Z is all about gamifications and virtual experiences,' he said. 'So, we thought why not create a virtual mall that would be more innovative and fun for users and create more engagement.'
Shoppers who sign up can unlock additional savings through special discount codes and gain entry into a grand raffle to win Dh100,000. Bonus cash prizes worth up to Dh50,000 are up for grabs for all those who explore five or more categories of the virtual stores.
This year, participating brands will include 2XL, 6th Street, Amazon, babyshop, Jumbo, LEGO, Steve Madden and The Watch House among other leading retailers.
The GOS is part of the Eid in Dubai campaign, which has a wide variety of events and experiences extending until April 6. Organised by Brand Dubai in partnership with DFRE, the campaign will have cultural celebrations, concerts, fireworks, family entertainment, shopping as well as citywide decorations.
'We also have pop-ups, like the beach canteen,' said Arayqat. 'There are a lot of offers happening now for staycations in leading hotels around the city. We also have fireworks and grand offers. We hope that everyone will find something fun and enjoyable to do during the period.'