Nearly 80% of UAE customers research products but buy elsewhere

Nearly 80% of UAE customers research products but buy elsewhere

CNNB Solutions co-founder and CVO, Nicolas Bruylants said, “UAE shoppers have high expectations and want rapid, free delivery of products that are easily returnable. They research products in one location – whether that’s via an online marketplace, on a brand website or in a store – but often make the purchase through a different retail channel. This represents a huge opportunity for both online and offline retailers to enhance the customer experience, differentiate themselves from competition, and close the sale from the first moments of interest.”

The CNNB Solutions poll was conducted by leading independent research agency, YouGov, who questioned a representative sample of 1,000 people across the UAE. Further results included that Emiratis are the most likely nationality group to research and buy through different channels, topping seven of the eight surveyed categories. Meanwhile, parents are the most likely to purchase from the first retail channel they find a product. Across all eight surveyed product categories the most popular answer was that people had researched products online but then bought in-store, demonstrating a disconnect in the effectiveness of the ecommerce buying journey which brands must solve.

There was an estimated $5bn of online retail sales in the UAE in 2021, but