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Online shopping behavior in the Middle East and North Africa - statistics & facts

The MENA region has seen significant growth in the e-commerce sector. With a young population and high levels of internet penetration, particularly in the Gulf Cooperation Council, the region offers huge potential. While it had a lower-than-average annual growth rate compared to worldwide rates before the COVID-19 pandemic , digital savviness is expected to drive e-commerce activities in the future. Moreover, the acquisition of Souq.com by Amazon in 2017, the emergence of new platforms such as Noon, and the growth of mobile wallets, have played a pivotal role in changing perceptions of e-commerce within this region.

 The MENA online shopper

  In addition to high internet penetration, consumers in the region have a high smartphone penetration rate. Bahrain and the UAE were the leading countries in MENA, with a smartphone penetration of 95 percent. Moreover, the region has high levels of time spent online. These factors contributed to the increase of online shopping frequency, as well as digital payments. In a survey, the majority of consumers reported that they prefer digital payments for online shopping. In a region dominated by cash payments, this shift in consumer preferences provides a growing opportunity for potential players in the digital payment industry.

Shifts in consumer trends post COVID-19 

   While the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many sectors worldwide, the shift towards online has witnessed a large boost in the region. Shopping behavior has significantly changed as consumers are adapting to the new normal. More than half of consumers stated that they expect their online shopping frequency to increase as a response to the pandemic. Consumers in the region have not only changed their shopping frequency, but which categories they purchase items from as well. They have prioritized online shopping in categories such as grocery, food, and beverages, while products such as shoes, apparel, and accessories experienced a decrease. Many consumers are expected to maintain these shopping habits after the pandemic, which encourages businesses to adopt e-commerce solutions to improve the customer experience.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, May 12, 2024

Key insights

Country with highest E-commerce share of total retail in the Middle East and North Africa
UAE
Year-on-year (YoY) sales growth of cosmetics and beauty e-commerce in Europe, Middle East, and Africa in November 2023
42%
hare of direct leading e-commerce website traffic sources in the Middle East
44.3%
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Quick commerce market size in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) from 2018 to 2024 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Online Retail

Q-commerce market size in MENA 2018-2024

Market share of digital/mobile wallets in total e-commerce and POS transaction value worldwide in 2023 with a forecast for 2027, by region

Payments

Digital wallet share in e-commerce and POS in 2023 with a 2027 forecast, by region

Quick commerce market share in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) from 2018 to 2024, by sector

B2C E-Commerce

Q-commerce market share in MENA 2018-2024, by sector

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Overview

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Overview

Internet penetration

4

Internet penetration

E-commerce figures

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E-commerce figures

Online payments

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Online payments

Consumer behavior

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Consumer behavior

Further reports

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Internet usage in the Middle East and North Africa
Internet usage in the Middle East and North Africa
E-commerce in the United Arab Emirates
E-commerce in the United Arab Emirates
E-commerce in Saudi Arabia
E-commerce in Saudi Arabia

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