MENA e-commerce sees surge in online orders in 2024; led by Saudi Arabia and UAE
The?e-commerce?and gifting markets in the Middle East registered significant online orders growth in 2024, with a 7 per cent increase in the UAE and 9 per cent in Saudi Arabia, a market study said.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait were top contributors by gross merchandise value (GMV) last year, according to the joint study by Flowwow, a UAE-based gifting marketplace, and Admitad partner marketing platform.
The strong performance of Saudi Arabia and the UAE is driven by active consumer spending and e-commerce growth, the?study, based on analysis of over 6.8 million online orders across MENA, including Turkey and Pakistan, in 2024 revealed.
Markets like Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Algeria, and Bahrain also benefited from increased mobile commerce, it said.
The research also showed a significant increase in average order values (AOV) in the region in 2024, growing from $30 in 2023 to $35.6 in 2024.
The UAE, with a rise from $89 to $102, clocked the highest AOV rise in the region, followed by Saudi Arabia which saw a rise from $49.6 to $52.5.
Online gaming topped the product categories for order growth in MENA in 2024, posting a whopping 32 per cent, followed by B2B services (25 per cent) and fashion (23 per cent).
“This indicates the audience’s demand for digital entertainment, professional solutions, and online retail,” the study said.
Government initiatives supporting digital transformations in the UAE and MENA are key drivers of these figures and the overall growth of e-commerce, it said.
The study said MENA e-commerce is moving toward AI-driven personalisation, community-oriented strategies, tailored marketing approaches, and content platforms like TikTok and Pinterest as key shopping hubs for Gen Z.