Findings indicate that 51% of consumers in the UAE went online to shop in 2013. Saudi Arabia and Qatar followed closely behind with 48%.
The same source shows that the UAE is home to a population with internet penetration and smartphone ownership rates estimated at 71% and 73% respectively. The country’s ecommerce sector is expected to reach USD 10 billion (AED 36.7 billion) in value by 2018.
According to the study, internet shoppers in the Middle East are spending their money on airline tickets, clothing and accessories, groceries, books, CDs, DVDs and travel-related products and services. It is also forecast that more people will move away from traditional computers to mobile devices.
Online sales in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are to grow to USD 15 billion in 2015, according to results revealed by PayPal. The market grew 29% from USD 7 billion in 2011 to USD 9 billion in 2012. Purchases on mobile devices, which represent 10% of the Middle East’s ecommerce, are also expected to double, reaching close to 20% of transactions in 2015.
The MasterCard survey is based on a sample of 3,000 people.
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