E-commerce a bigger sell in UAE amid Covid-19

E-commerce a bigger sell in UAE amid Covid-19

E-commerce expenditure has exceeded expectations by more than $52 billion since the lockdown began in March, reports found.





The Covid-19 pandemic is expected to leave a lasting mark on consumer behavior and drive an ever-increasing share of e-commerce in the UAE's retail sector, experts said.

Karl Nader, managing director, AlixPartners Middle East, said that the pandemic accelerated the conversion to online, particularly in essential categories such as grocery shopping.

"Prior to the pandemic, the grocery industry was very slow to adapt across the region with online sales accounting for less than one per cent of total grocery sales in the UAE and KSA. However, today, this number varies by grocer, with some of the leading grocers doubling their share of online sales during the pandemic," he said.

Anastasia El Hage, founder and CEO of HUBB Global Group, also pointed to a shift in consumer behavior, as people across the UAE became more open to the e-commerce space. Some retail companies addressed their challenges head on and took timely decisions to develop their online businesses. These are the companies that are likely to emerge as market leaders, she said.

According to a recent report by Adobe, e-commerce expenditure has exceeded expectations by more