Brands are actively offering warm-up deals and have already started preparations for White Friday — every year there is a fierce struggle for each customer.
According to forecasts from the Admitad partner network, this year MENA customers will spend 10% more on online purchases during the sales, supported by an overall growth in e-commerce spending in the region of 8% in 2024.
Admitad analysts studied more than 200 million orders worldwide and more than 6.7 million orders in MENA for 2023 and 2024 - both during the regular period and during November sales.
How will the sales go?
Every year brands are shifting their focus more and more away from specific dates. The importance of 11.11 or White Friday itself is steadily decreasing — “warm-up” period with discounts and special offers before the sales starts earlier and earlier, sometimes 2-3 weeks before the event itself. The main sale period also extends from 1-3 days to a week or more.
Anna Gidirim, CEO of Admitad, explained: "This trend of extending the sales period took hold last year, and in 2024, companies are planning not just one-off discounts but an extended period of increased customer activity. Brands are leveraging waves of special offers for different categories to maintain momentum. With e-commerce spending in MENA growing by 8% this year, we see steady demand during the November sales period."
WalaPlus, a key player in the rewards and loyalty space in KSA and UAE, observed that partners are offering an extra discount percentage on top of their regular offers for the November season. This additional benefit, aimed at users in the private and government sectors, has resulted in significant growth in conversions and transactions.
What goods will MENA customers hunt for?
As peak sales period approaches, all sectors — including retail, F&B, and services — join the wave with special deals.
Last year in Saudi Arabia, WalaPlus observed a 60% growth in gift card sales, particularly targeting retail stores launching 11.11 and White Friday campaigns.
Growth was notable across several categories:
- Perfumes: +70%
- Home: +30%
- Beauty & Fashion: +30%
Admitad’s data supports this view, with marketplaces accounting for 67% of all online purchases during White Friday. Leading categories include Electronics (24%), Fashion (17.2%), and Home & Garden (13%). Year-on-year growth is also evident in Car Products (+20%), Fashion (+21%), and Sports Goods (+17%).
Promo codes, cashback and content are key to the success of brands
Last year, the share of orders using cashback during sales exceeded 20%. In 2024, according to Admitad, MENA customers received cashback for 25% of purchases. The presence of a store on the cashback storefront page or the option to receive cashback for a certain product has become one of the main factors influencing purchase decisions.
Another manifestation of the smart shopping trend is the growing importance of coupons and promo codes. Their share in the total number of orders has increased from 9% to 12% in 2024. These tools are not new to brands, but the ways in which they are used have taken a step forward, both against the backdrop of tighter regulation on personal data tracking and because brands are looking to improve their effectiveness.
For example, Admitad launched its New Generation Promo codes tool in 2024, which allows brands to automatically assign promo codes to publishers (influencers, content platforms, etc.) based on how well they engage customers. It also solves the problem of cross-device tracking and bypasses ad blockers.
In the first three months, the number of affiliate sales and targeted actions for brands using the tool grows by 30-40%. This shows that most companies still have huge untapped potential to grow sales through coupons and promo codes.
But the leading role in this year's sales will be played by affiliate websites, content platforms and social networks, whose influence in 2024 has increased even more. This year they are responsible for 25%, 19% and 17% of all attracted online sales. Without a doubt those traffic sources should be included in every marketing strategy for White Friday.
