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Majority of UAE Consumers Rely on Apps and Digital Services for Holiday Shopping, Study Reveals

As the annual end-of-year holiday shopping sales approach, new data from Cisco AppDynamics shows that a majority of UAE consumers are planning to use applications and digital services to fulfill their shopping needs. Compared to last year, 70% of UAE consumers are expected to do more holiday shopping online this year, through apps and digital platforms.

The study, which surveyed 12,000 consumers across 12 countries, including 1000 consumers in the UAE, examined consumer intentions, behaviors, and preferences when it comes to online shopping during the holiday season. On average, UAE consumers anticipate that 68% of their holiday shopping spending this year will be done through applications and digital services, an increase from an estimated 61% last year.

One of the key drivers for this shift towards online shopping is the belief among 52% of UAE consumers that they can find better choices online compared to physical stores. Additionally, 34% of consumers mentioned the convenience of shopping during working hours, while 32% wanted to avoid last-minute panic buying in stores. Moreover, 24% of consumers appreciated the ability to shop outside of normal retail hours or at times that are convenient for them.

James Harvey, CTO Advisor EMEA at Cisco AppDynamics, believes that this presents a significant opportunity for online retailers in the UAE to attract new customers and boost revenues. However, there is also increased pressure on brands to provide seamless digital experiences. The study found that 77% of UAE consumers would feel anxious and angry if the applications and digital services they use for holiday shopping fail to perform.

Furthermore, 68% of UAE consumers emphasized that a poor online shopping experience is unacceptable, regardless of how good the deals may be. Additionally, 72% of consumers stated that retail brands have only one chance to impress them this holiday season.

Harvey advises online retailers to combine great deals with flawless application performance in order to gain a competitive advantage. He also highlights the challenges that organizations face in managing the availability and performance of complex hybrid environments. To mitigate this, he suggests implementing an observability solution that spans across cloud native and on-premises environments, allowing technologists to monitor the health of key business transactions throughout the entire technology landscape. This enables swift identification of issues and prompt resolution to ensure applications are operating at peak performance.

With the upcoming holiday season just around the corner, it is crucial for retailers to prioritize delivering exceptional digital experiences to meet the expectations of UAE consumers and secure their loyalty. By offering a seamless and convenient online shopping experience, retailers can tap into the increasing trend of consumers turning to apps and digital services for their holiday shopping needs.