UAE e-commerce market forecast to reach $9.2bln by 2026

UAE e-commerce market forecast to reach $9.2bln by 2026

- Local e-commerce websites accounted for 73 percent of total UAE retail sales in 2021.

- Consumer electronics was the best-selling online product category last year, accounting for 34 percent of total sales.

Dubai, UAE – The value of the UAE e-commerce market is expected to reach $9.2 billion in 2026, while the sector’s share of total retail sales in the UAE is projected to reach 12.6 percent by the same year, new analysis from Dubai Chamber of Commerce has revealed.

The study, based on data from Euromonitor and released ahead of GITEX Global 2022, highlighted several factors boosting e-commerce activity in the UAE, as well as high-potential growth opportunities.

Total e-commerce sales in the UAE recorded remarkable growth in 2021, reaching $4.8 billion during the year, compared to $2.6 billion in 2019.

Market trends

Mobile devices, such as Smartphones and tablets, accounted for a majority of e-commerce transactions last year as the mobile retail market reached $2.6 billion, accounting for 44 percent of the total e-commerce market value. Mobile retail sales are expected to record a compound annual growth rate of 15.6 percent over the 2022-2026 period to reach $4.6 billion.

The study shows that more than one third of consumers in the UAE bought a