Mention the "Middle East". Your first reaction is the desert, camels, oases, prayer songs in mosques, Aladdin's magic lamp... Or oil, gold, Dubai Tower, Burj Al Arab, and sports cars on the streets? For me, the Middle East is synonymous with wealth and tycoons. So what products do the tycoons in the Middle East like to buy online? Today, please follow Amazon Global Store to see the purchasing preferences of the tycoons! In addition, I have specially prepared a big selling calendar for the fourth quarter of the Middle East Station for all sellers to help you start the road to gold mining in the Middle East~
Consumer Electronics
According to statistics, the UAE is the largest import market for home appliances and consumer electronics in the Middle East, and China is the largest source of home appliances and consumer electronics imports to the UAE, accounting for about 51% of the total 1. In addition to the lack of production capacity in the region, another important reason for the strong demand for consumer electronics is that the mainstream consumer group in the Middle East is extremely young. Taking Saudi Arabia as an example, 40% of the population is under the age of 14, while those aged 15 to 24 and 25 to 39 account for 18% and 24% of the total population respectively2. Therefore, the Middle East generally has a high acceptance of new products and technologies. Unlike Jordan and other countries where products are still at the basic stage, creative and distinctive cutting-edge products are easily accepted by the UAE. Therefore, consumer electronics has become the largest category in the Middle East e-commerce market and on Amazon Middle East.
The UAE has the highest smartphone coverage rate in the world4. In the local area, it can be said that everyone has a smartphone. The mobile phone brands that are more popular among the wealthy in the Middle East include Apple, OnePlus, Xiaomi, Samsung, etc.
The wealthy people in the Middle East who are worth hundreds of millions also do a very good job in protecting their mobile phones, and they can't do without phone cases and phone films.
Unlike the various types of mobile phone cases with unique shapes and bright colors on the domestic market, the people of the UAE prefer low-key and simple ones. The popular mobile phone cases are mainly solid colors such as black and white, and there are few large-area patterns.
Mobile phone film
One of the largest categories in the consumer electronics category. However, since "film sticking" is a technical job, the competition for mobile phone film products both online and offline is very fierce. In order to improve the competitiveness of their mobile phone films, it is recommended that sellers go for high-end quality or affordable prices.
Bluetooth Headset
Middle Eastern consumers have two main demands for Bluetooth headsets: fashionable appearance and smooth connection. Compared with traditional Bluetooth headsets, split wireless earbuds are currently highly sought after by the wealthy in the Middle East.
Game console accessories
Game console accessories are one of the fastest growing products in the Middle East. As various game consoles (Sony PS/Microsoft X-BOX/Nintendo SWITCH) have good sales in the Middle East, game console-related accessories including controllers, VR glasses and other peripherals have also become fast-growing products in the Middle East.
Cameras and accessories
SLR digital cameras, sports digital cameras (such as GoPro), and related low-priced accessories such as tripods, SLR protective cases, shoulder straps, data transmission cables, etc. are also the fastest growing products on the Middle East site. Storage products such as SD cards, USB flash drives and mobile hard drives are also very popular among the wealthy in the Middle East.
Fashion Category
People’s first impression of how people in the Middle East dress may be: Middle Eastern men wearing white robes and headscarves, and women wearing black robes and veils. They don’t tend to associate it with too many fashion elements. Sellers may think that the product styles that are popular in the European and American markets may not be suitable for the dressing habits of people in the Middle East.
In fact, in daily life, the demand for fashion products among our friends in the Middle East is no less than that of any European and American countries. Looking around Dubai Mall, you can see European and American brands everywhere. It’s just that they are limited by certain habits and cannot show their fashionable side in public. However, Middle Eastern consumers do use many popular fashion products at home or in more private places, especially during some women's gatherings, and they also wear some more convenient clothing.
Fashion is the second largest category in Middle East e-commerce after consumer electronics, accounting for 17%3. Among the most popular products in UAE e-commerce, fashion accounts for as much as 31% (clothing: 17%; fashion accessories: 14%).
Fashion:
The Middle East has high temperatures all year round, with average daytime temperatures above 35 degrees for 6 months a year and daytime temperatures above 25 degrees in the coldest month. Therefore, the best-selling clothing in the Middle East is mainly summer clothing.
Tops:
T-shirts/tops and sportswear such as short tops, shirts, long sleeves, sportswear, sports bras, leggings, sweatshirts, etc. are very popular among young women.
Bottoms:
Due to local customs, women prefer: casual pants, leggings, elastic pants, striped pants, straight pants and other trousers. Due to the hot weather, men prefer shorts such as Bermuda shorts, casual pants, lace-up pants, etc.
Skirts:
Middle Eastern women prefer dresses, skirts, pajamas and other categories when it comes to skirts. Among the dresses, local women prefer round-neck, off-shoulder, bandage tights, A-line skirts, etc.; for skirts, they prefer high-waist skirts, pleated skirts, cake skirts, etc.; pajamas such as nightgowns, pajamas, and one-piece pajamas also have good sales.
Fashion Accessories:
The weather in the Middle East is hot and the ultraviolet rays are strong, so you must take good sun protection when going out. Sunglasses, sun hats, scarves, etc. are all essential equipment.
Home Products
The textile and clothing industry in the Middle East is not large in scale, and there is a large gap in technology level and product quality. Therefore, most textiles in the Middle East market are imported. According to a survey conducted by the Chinese Trade Agency in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, 90% of Saudi Arabia's textiles are imported from China, the largest end-consumer market in the Middle East. China has won the fierce competition with its price advantage. 6. It is estimated that in the next five years, Dubai is expected to add 163,000 new homes. 7. The home furnishing market with huge development potential provides sellers with good opportunities to make money in the Middle East.
In addition, in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, each family has an average of 8 and 6 members respectively. The large family structure makes household products very popular in the local market, among which Chinese-made home decorations and kitchen and bathroom textiles are very popular locally. Decorative items such as lamps, photo frames, wallpapers, stickers, etc., textiles such as bed sheets & accessories, bedding, bathroom textiles, as well as floor blankets, outdoor blankets, mats, etc. are all indispensable items in the big villas of the rich.
After introducing the hot categories on the Middle East site, are all Chinese sellers eager to start selecting products? Don’t be in a hurry. The Middle East site will usher in wave after wave of traffic peaks in the second half of the year. From the back-to-school season in August to White Friday in November, every promotion is the peak sales season for the Middle East site. Therefore, the editor has compiled the next big selling calendar plan for the Middle East Station for all sellers. Sellers who missed the back-to-school season should not worry, seize every upcoming holiday and feel the big selling "wave"~
November 11 Sale
China is not the only country that has the "Double 11". In fact, Souq, the predecessor of Amazon's Middle East site, introduced the "Double 11" shopping carnival in 2016, launching more than 5,000 "buy one get one free" promotional products and creating a unique "Double 11" with a Middle Eastern style. I believe that the three-day discounts across all categories on Double 11 this year will attract a large number of consumers to open their wallets.
White Friday in November
"White Friday" originated from the traditional American Thanksgiving sale "Black Friday". But since most residents in the Middle East believe in Islam, Friday is the time for Muslims to pray together. Therefore, "Friday" is full of peace and beauty in the hearts of Middle Eastern people. When Souq introduced the "Black Friday" concept in 2014, it was renamed "White Friday". After five years of development, White Friday has become a shopping carnival that e-commerce consumers in the Middle East look forward to.
White Friday is usually held in late November every year, covering all categories with discounts of up to 70%. In 2018, the sellers invited to join the Middle East site had five times the number of orders and sales on White Friday than on normal days. Electronic products, clothing, beauty products, home decoration, etc. are the hot-selling categories during this period. Sellers must make preparations for the peak season in advance.
December National Day/Year-end Sale
December 2nd of every year is the UAE National Day. During this period, the government will hold a series of large-scale celebrations, and businesses will launch major promotional activities. All major categories of products on the Middle East site, from fashion and beauty to electronics and daily necessities, are participating in this promotion. In addition, there are continuous promotional activities such as Double 12 and year-end promotions in December that bring the festive atmosphere to a climax.
