Shoppers in the UAE increasingly value seamless, connected retail experiences over one-day Black Friday price cuts, according to new findings from Initials Middle East. The agency says consumers are rewarding brands that link in-store, social and e-commerce interactions, rather than relying solely on headline discounts.
Initials, which opened its Dubai hub in October, says the period around Black Friday has become a real-time test of a brand’s shopper journey.
Managing Director Hemal Soni said shoppers are looking at the full process, not just the size of a price reduction. “People are weighing up the whole journey — how easy it is to find the offer, whether the promise matches the shelf, and how simple it is to check out and receive the product,” she said.
“The brands that will win this Black Friday are the ones that reduce friction and minimise returns because they have designed an experience that feels joined up.”
New data shows why November is a critical moment for retailers. E-commerce orders across the Middle East and North Africa rose about 44 percent in November 2024 compared with the monthly average, with Black Friday driving much of the increase.
The GCC retail industry is projected to reach around US$390 billion by 2028. In the UAE, e-commerce alone reached AED 32.3 billion in 2024 and is forecast to exceed AED 50.6 billion by 2029.
Social commerce is also playing a central role. Deloitte’s 2025 Digital Consumer Trends report shows that 73 percent of consumers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE made at least one purchase through social media in the past year.
Initials says this is pushing brands to build continuous, connected journeys that link malls, mobile and media, rather than isolated campaigns.
The agency sees Black Friday as a stress test for shopper marketing performance. Co-Founder and CEO Jamie Matthews said brands should look beyond traffic spikes to judge success.
“Did this period bring in new shoppers who will come back? Did it protect price integrity? Did it avoid a flood of returns and customer service issues in December? Those are the indicators of a stronger shopper experience,” he said.
Initials Middle East is working with brands across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC to design behaviour-led programmes aimed at converting browsers into buyers. The aim, the agency says, is to ensure Black Friday and year-end promotions build long-term brand value rather than conditioning shoppers to wait for discounts.
