UAE Online Sales Are Set to Exceed AED 100 Billion in 2023

Online purchases in the UAE are expected to cross the AED 100 billion mark in 2023, reaching AED 107.6 billion, with a year on year growth of 16 percent, according to the 2023 Financial Services Consumer Survey by GlobalData.

Cards remain the most preferred mode of payment in 2023 due to the value-added benefits offered by them.

Alternative payment tools such as Apple Pay, PayPal and Google Pay, which are expected to account for 27.7 percent of e-payment transactions this year.

The UAE consumers' third and fourth most popular payment tools for online purchases are bank transfers and cash, respectively.

The e-commerce sector has gained massive popularity in the UAE in the post-pandemic period due to its ease, lower rates and the variety of goods available at a click of a button. 

The survey revealed that 88 percent of UAE consumers reported having shopped online in the past six months.

GlobalData said the UAE's e-commerce market grew 18.5 percent in 2022 to reach AED 92.4 billion, as an increasing number of consumers shift from offline to online purchases.