Snapchatters are Fueling the Region’s E-commerce Boom

While the Middle East is poised to be among the next great e-commerce hub, Snapchat users in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are already browsing, deal hunting, and purchasing online.

New data from GlobalWebIndex Q1-Q2 2018 shows that Snapchat users in the two largest GCC economies
are particularly keen to search and buy online, with more than 9 in 10 Snapchatters (96% UAE, 91% KSA) having visited an online retail site or store in the past month. More importantly, approximately 3 in 4 (76% UAE, 71% KSA) have made an online purchase over the past 30 days, a share considerably higher than among those who do not use Snapchat. While they are eager to shop online, Snapchatters are also savvy deal hunters, with 4 in 5 (82% UAE, 77% KSA) saying they are always trying to find the best offers when shopping online.

Over the past few years, Snapchat has become the to-go platform for companies looking to connect with online shoppers. Souq.com, the architects behind the famous White Friday deal event, has been activating unique experiences on Snapchat for several years.

According to BMI Research, the GCC’s e-commerce industry is on the verge of becoming the world’s fastest growing market and is forecasted to grow from an estimated $26.9 billion in 2018 to $48.6 billion in 2022. To help the region’s businesses take advantage of this transformation, Snapchat recently launched four new e-commerce features in the Middle East: Shoppable Snap Ads, Product Catalogues, Advanced Pixel Targeting, and partnerships with over 40 global performance agencies to help advertisers succeed with e-commerce.

Farimah Moeini, Business Solutions Lead at, Snapchat, added: “Snapchat is already playing a pivotal role in helping ecommerce businesses deliver results at scale. With e-commerce set to almost double over the next few years nearly every business sector will be redefined. We look forward to strengthening our local partnerships and products to help businesses capture the value of this transformation.”