Meet the Deal-Catcher: Platformance Reveals How Q4 Shoppers Are Rewriting the Playbook

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Drawing on behavioural data from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, the report charts the rise of a shopper who’s highly price-aware yet brand-agnostic, and whose purchase journey begins long before discounts drop. 

It also signals a turning point for marketers preparing for Singles’ Day, White Friday, Black Friday and Cyber Monday — when wallet share becomes a battlefield.

The Deal-Catcher Mindset

According to Platformance, one in three MENA shoppers now enters Q4 without a fixed shopping list, browsing categories instead of brands. Category-level searches spike as early as September, months before specific brand or product queries begin.

That shift, the report notes, marks a clear pivot from discount-chasing to value-seeking behaviour.

Consumers are comparing across categories — fashion, electronics, beauty, home — rather than within them, forcing brands to compete on relevance and timing, not just price.

To help marketers recalibrate, Platformance introduces a framework built around planned vs. flexible spend:

• Planned Spend categories (electronics, large appliances): require reinforcing purchase intent and offering the final validation at the decision stage.

• Flexible Spend categories (beauty, fashion, toys): demand inspiration and discovery-led content that triggers impulse buys when the right deal appears.

The study advocates blending early intent-building tools such as Programmatic and YouTube with conversion-focused channels like Retail Media, Affiliate, and Pay Per Outcome (PPO) models — all designed to drive measurable, profitable performance.

“Q4 is no longer about mass promotions — it’s a strategic contest for consumer wallet share,” said Waseem Afzal, Founder & CEO of Platformance. “The Deal-Catcher is budget-conscious but persuadable. Brands that segment their audiences, refine discount strategies, and align media by stage of intent will not only win Q4 but build equity that extends beyond the season.”

Platformance’s latest report not only define a shopper trend — it challenges MENA marketers to rethink the fundamentals of Q4 planning. Precision, timing, and contextual creativity now outweigh blanket discounting in the race for profitable conversions.