The coronavirus pandemic triggered a worldwide increase in online shopping as it hastened digital adoption and sparked a shift in consumer attitudes.
Although the initial surge in online shopping came in March 2020 as the onset of the virus prompted authorities to introduce stay-at-home measures, data indicates that the change in spending patterns could be here to stay.
The UAE e-tail market is expected to grow at a more than 20 per cent compound annual rate to about $19 billion by 2025, from $8.5bn in 2021, according to consultancy RedSeer.
The growth will be driven by improvement in consumer experience and sticky online buying behaviour, said Abhishek Rajput, associate consultant at RedSeer.
More consumers in the UAE made online purchases last year compared with 2020, according to a March report by EZDubai, an e-commerce zone in Dubai South, and Euromonitor International. About 75 per cent of those surveyed said they shopped online in 2021.
The expansion of e-commerce in the region is being driven by strong internet penetration rates, high possession of digital devices, rising incomes, improving logistics and the presence of global players in the market, the report said.
We asked experts to suggest tips for consumers to get the best deals while shopping online.
Use comparison sites for price tracking and discount coupons
Websites that compare prices will show you how much the item costs at various retailers, says Haneen Dabain, co-founder of UAE price comparison portal Pricena.com.
“To find out if you’re getting a good deal on your purchase, check the price history of the product, or set up a price drop alert so that you are informed when the price changes,” she says.
“Make a conscious effort to never purchase anything without a coupon code. There are multiple websites where you can get coupon codes for shops in the UAE. Before making any purchases, it is wise to check the latest codes added.”
For the travel industry, platforms such as Trivago aggregate data from many websites to deliver economical price options and availability for hotels and flights to users, says Ritesh Mohan, a retail industry expert in the UAE.
Google Shopping ads also provide price comparison across most sites, he says.
Some options such as Microsoft Edge (in-built algorithmic tools) and Google Shopping often provide comparative deals based on your search feeds, says Jyothsna Singh, assistant professor in marketing at Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University Dubai.
These could help you sign up for deals on products you may intend to buy online and provide you with several alternatives, she says.
Buy products off-season
Buying winter wear, especially during autumn and winter season, is expensive. But the prices of these products could be much more affordable with bundled giveaways during the off-season, Ms Singh says.
The reverse psychology of seasonal buying behaviour can produce an anomaly in your favour, she says.
Wait and shop on the right day
Most outlets announce discounts on weekdays. Resist the urge to do your shopping online at weekends and keep an eye on sales announcements during the week, Ms Dabain suggests.
“You also can achieve big savings during seasonal sales such as Black Friday and Dubai Summer Surprises,” she says.
“Mark them on your calendar and create a list of things you want to buy this year. Keep an eye on your products to get the best savings. Just remember to stick to your spending budget.”
Brands are increasingly trying to build their own online presence. So, some of the best deals are available online, according to Sandeep Ganediwalla, managing partner in the Middle East and North Africa for consultancy RedSeer.
Consumers can also find great deals on social media through influencers on TikTok and Instagram, so keep a tab on them, he says.
Consider buying from new and small shops
Instead of shopping exclusively from well-known and large internet retailers, search for smaller yet reliable stores. They probably price their products lower to compete with the larger companies, Ms Dabain says.
Also, whether you ask for a discount or make a warranty claim for a product, customer care support at a smaller outlet is probably more individualised, straightforward and prompt, she says.
“Smaller offline players use hyperlocal services such as Instashop and Careem to tap into online shoppers. These can provide deals on long-tail products,” Mr Ganediwalla says.
Sign up for loyalty programmes
Loyalty programmes often get exclusive deals, even on online platforms, according to Mr Ganediwalla.
Consumers should use several email addresses to sign up for promotions, Ms Dabain says.
“The best promo codes are typically only used once per customer. You can make several purchases using the discount code in this manner. Just use different accounts to place the orders,” she says.
Today, every e-tailer and retailer wants to build a community of loyal customers, which offers opportunities for the shoppers, according to Mr Mohan.
“The challenge today for e-commerce retailers is to break consumers’ perception that products online are often discounted,” he says.
“It is becoming harder to strike a balance between promotional items and full-price items as competition in the e-commerce space hots up. But as online retailers try to cope with this challenge, consumers are spoilt for choice.”
Walk away from your cart
Many online retailers dislike it when customers leave items in the shopping basket without making a purchase, Ms Dabain says.
“Make sure you are signed in to your account, add the items to your cart and then wait a few days,” she says.
“Many retailers keep track of cart abandonment and will try to retain you, by sending an email to remind you of the cart along with a discount code to complete the purchase.”
Also, abandoning your cart can stop you from making impulse purchases, Ms Dabain says.
Shop online locally on holiday
People who travel overseas can take advantage of foreign exchange rates, shop online locally and buy international brands available for a lower price in the country they are visiting, Ms Singh says.
“For example, if you live in the eastern hemisphere, many brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Bebe could be very expensive, but once you land in the home country, the US, the same brands could be bought for far less and their online deals are more alluring,” she says.
“Of course, there could be some discomfort in scheduling your deliveries or putting off shopping until your travels, but if you could, this could be worth the deal.”
Outsmart dynamic pricing
Dynamic pricing, sometimes referred to as surge pricing or demand pricing, is a technique that has advanced to the point that it allows online retailers to immediately alter an item’s price based on supply and demand, according to Ms Dabain.
These retailers are fully aware of your price point, search history, whether you’re buying on a mobile device or laptop, and countless other aspects that feed into their dynamic pricing model, she says.
“They might quote you a greater price than someone else who makes online purchases for less money.
“Delete your browser’s cookies or shop in a private window to avoid mark-ups [incognito mode]. Give this a try and see if you can save some money.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
Bio
Born in Dubai in 1994
Her father is a retired Emirati police officer and her mother is originally from Kuwait
She Graduated from the American University of Sharjah in 2015 and is currently working on her Masters in Communication from the University of Sharjah.
Her favourite film is Pacific Rim, directed by Guillermo del Toro
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
No.6 Collaborations Project
Ed Sheeran (Atlantic)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20results%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EIreland%20beat%20UAE%20by%20six%20wickets%0D%3Cbr%3EZimbabwe%20beat%20UAE%20by%20eight%20wickets%0D%3Cbr%3EUAE%20beat%20Netherlands%20by%2010%20wickets%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFixtures%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EUAE%20v%20Vanuatu%2C%20Thursday%2C%203pm%2C%20Zayed%20Cricket%20Stadium%0D%3Cbr%3EIreland%20v%20Netherlands%2C%207.30pm%2C%20Zayed%20Cricket%20Stadium%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EGroup%20B%20table%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E1)%20Ireland%203%203%200%206%20%2B2.407%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Netherlands%203%202%201%204%20%2B1.117%0D%3Cbr%3E3)%20UAE%203%201%202%202%200.000%0D%3Cbr%3E4)%20Zimbabwe%204%201%203%202%20-0.844%0D%3Cbr%3E5)%20Vanuatu%203%201%202%202%20-2.180%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE squad to face Ireland
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
