68% of UAE respondents in Nielsen’s survey say they have made an online purchase in the last six months
Consumers are no longer looking for their needs in only their local retailers, but are taking strides in the digital realm looking to “e-tailers” for more options.
In a recent survey conducted by Nielsen, a leading provider of information and insights, brought to light an important trend, and that is the increasing dependency on e-commercial outlets for the consumers’ browsing and shopping needs.
All UAE respondents have confirmed that they have done some sort of shopping activity online, out of which 68% have progressed into completed transactions.
“Retailers have to consider more than simply being present online, they need to think ‘mobile screen’ first,” noted Arslan Ashraf, Managing Director, Nielsen Arabian Peninsula. “Smartphone penetration in the UAE is estimated to be around 80%, and it is usually their first point of access when e-browsing.”
While online sales are on the rise, fears about the impact on physical storetraffic may be somewhat inflated. As it stands today, consumers aren’t simply “showrooming”—browsing in storeand then going online in search of the lowest-cost option. They’re also“webrooming”—researching online and buying in stores.
About the Nielsen Global Survey
The findings in this survey are based on an online survey in 24 countries and a face-to-face survey in two countries. While an online survey methodology allows for tremendous scale and global reach, it provides a perspective only on the habits of existing Internet users, not total populations. In developing markets where online penetration is still growing, audiences may be younger and more affluent than the general population of that country.
Face-to-face interviews were conducted in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Given the differences in methodologies used, results from these two countries are not included in the global average.
Survey responses are based on claimed behavior rather than actual metered data. Cultural differences in reporting sentiment are likely factors in the measurement of outlook across countries. The reported results do not attempt to control or correct for these differences. Therefore, caution should be exercised when comparing across countries and regions, particularly across regional boundaries.