MENA Online Gifting Market Sees 62% Rise in Festive Sales
Online orders for gifting items in the MENA region are witnessing a surge during the year-end festive season, a new report found, suggesting impressive record sales.
Leading gifting marketplace Flowwow reported an impressive 62 per cent increase in purchases, an 86 per cent growth in sales turnover, and a 15.76 per cent rise in the average order value in November–mid-December 2024 compared to the previous year.
November alone saw a 44 per cent jump in online orders, making it the busiest month for e-commerce, a study by Admitad and Flow wow showed.
This peak coincided with the Black Friday sales and preparations for the key celebrations of the year-end festive season such as Christman and New Year.
January and March also saw significant growth, with Ramadan and International Women’s Day driving online sales by 11 per cent and 14 per cent respectively, the study said.
The study said the festive season also drives growth in MENA e-commerce platforms and gifting marketplaces, boosted by special promotions, convenience, and increased interest in mobile shopping.
In total, the number of all e-commerce orders in MENA grew by 5 per cent in 2024, with a 10 per cent increase in gross merchandise value (GMV).
Average order value (AOV) also rose significantly, climbing from $30 in 2023 to $36 in 2024, reflecting heightened consumer spending on online shopping to prefer quality items.
Slava Bogdan, CEO at Flowwow, said the festive season is one of the peak shopping periods for the Flowwow gifting marketplace.
“Starting with White Friday in November and continuing through the Christmas and New Year festivities, this period represents a critical shopping time in the GCC region, especially with the growing expat population,” she said.
The study said mobile commerce played a significant role, accounting for 44.6 per cent of all orders in the region in 2024.
Saudi Arabia took the lead with 62 per cent of orders placed via mobile devices, followed by the UAE at 60 per cent, Bahrain at 59 per cent, Oman at 58 per cent, Kuwait at 57 per cent, and Qatar at 54 per cent.
This year’s surge in online gift orders comes at a time when the broader e-commerce market in the MENA region is projected to reach $50 billion by 2028, with mobile commerce in the UAE and Saudi Arabia expected to quadruple.
“This year’s surge in e-commerce activity demonstrates the evolving shopping habits in the MENA region, where mobile-first experiences and marketplace-driven sales have become the backbone of consumer behaviour,” said Anna Gidirim, CEO at Admitad.
“Our data highlights how businesses can leverage these trends to optimise their strategies and grow significantly during peak seasons,” she added.
