UAE’s retail landscape is witnessing a marked shift towards digital shopping experience, as highlighted in the Global Digital Shopping Index 2023 UAE Edition. With 94 per cent of consumers embracing at least one digital shopping feature during their retail experience, UAE has surpassed all other countries except India.
Drawing insights from the report, which included a survey of over 13,000 consumers and 3,000 merchants across six countries, UAE online shoppers prioritised lower prices and free shipping, with 44 per cent prioritising better prices and 50 per cent emphasising the importance of free shipping. Meanwhile, 43 per cent valued a seamless checkout process when opting for online shopping.
While immediacy is key in physical stores, UAE shoppers weigh product availability less heavily than in other countries.
The shoppers’ top three feature preferences include digital shopping features, payment options, rewards and free shipping. While only 11 per cent prioritise their payment methods, about 6.9 per cent value rewards, and 6.6 per cent prefer free shipping.
Furthermore, mobile shopping is on the rise among UAE consumers, with 28 per cent making recent purchases using smartphones. 52 per cent of consumers use smartphones to enhance their in-store shopping experiences.
Additionally, Emirati merchants have responded to the digital shift by enhancing customer experiences, which led to a notable increase in the Global Digital Shopping Index (GDSI) score. The GDSI score for UAE merchants rose from 112 in 2021 to 124.4 in 2022, signifying an 11 per cent increase in shopper satisfaction within just one year.
