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‘White Friday’, a term first coined by Souq.com in 2014 as a mirroring of the hugely popular ‘Black Friday’ sales in Western countries, has been steadily gaining momentum in the UAE and is rapidly emerging as one of the biggest annual events in the country’s retail calendar.

Data gathered by AppsFlyer on consumer spending via eCommerce apps, found that overall installs of shopping apps in the UAE on White Friday (November 26, 2021) increased by 24% compared to an average of the previous three Fridays in November, with spend doubling (99%).

While offering a clear sign that White Friday is now an especially popular day for shopping on mobile, AppsFlyer’s data is also a good sign for traditional ‘brick and mortar’ retail outlets. While the number of installs during White Friday 2021 was significantly higher than the previous Fridays in November, when compared to White Friday 2020, the number of shopping app installs in the UAE actually dropped by 41%.

“This is a trend we witnessed in many other countries and is possibly a sign that people are now more comfortable returning to in-store retail as shoppers adjust to life in the new normal,” explained Samer Saad, regional manager – Middle East, AppsFlyer.

That being said, AppsFlyer’s data showed that despite shopping app installs dropping compared to White Friday last year, the overall spending on these apps during White Friday 2021 actually increased by 43%. This suggests that the average spend per consumer is now higher than in the previous year.

“There has no doubt been an increase in consumer confidence given the UAE’s rapid recovery over the last 12 months and the positive impact that EXPO 2020 and other government initiatives have had on the country’s economy. As a preferred touchpoint between customers and businesses, mobile apps present an essential and highly effective way for UAE organisations to capitalise on this favourable consumer sentiment. With 91% of UAE companies offering their customers a mobile app, this is a competitive space and mobile marketing is key to standing out and capturing valuable market share,” added Saad.

These findings further reinforce the fact that spending in retail apps consistently surges during popular shopping periods as between February and April this year, revenues from mobile shopping apps increased by 105% ahead of Ramadan.