Eid Al Adha 2025: Emotional commerce and seasonal trends boost 45% online sales growth in Mena

Khaleej Times

05-06-2025

Eid Al Adha 2025 is expected to deliver a 45 per cent boost in mobile sales across the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) e-commerce market and 150 per cent growth in gifting purchases, data showed, driven by a rise in emotionAl first commerce and seasonal trends.
Research by Flowwow, a UAE-based gifting marketplace, and Admitad, a leading affiliate marketing platform, projects a growth of 15 per cent in gross merchandise volume (GMV) orders growth in e-commerce research ahead of Eid Al Adha 2025, one of the region's key retail moments.
The growth in online orders, sales GMV, and average order value during Eid Al Adha highlights a digital shift from traditional mall retail to fast and tech-enabled online shopping. In the changing e-commerce sector, super apps and marketplaces compete to meet the increasingly sophisticated demands of digital consumers. The region's rich culture of gifting, combined with its multinational population and rising income levels, continues to boost the rapid growth of online gifting in the GCC, making it the fastest-growing $1.8 billion market in this space, projected to reach $6.38 billion by 2030.
The study, which analysed over 150,000 customer orders during the Eid Al Adha period 2024–2025, shows rising consumer demand for seasonal gifts and emotionally driven purchasing decisions. The analytics forecast a shift toward higher-value purchases, and strong mobile commerce growth, trends expected to continue into 2025 with projected 10 per cent order growth and mobile sales exceeding 45 per cent across the Mena region.
Eid Al Adha is one of the biggest shopping seasons of the year in the Mena region, driven by traditions of generosity, gifting, and festive preparation. Looking ahead to Eid Al Adha 2025, Analysts project the number of e-commerce orders in the region to increase by 10 per cent, with GMV expected to grow by 14-15 per cent during the holiday, boosted by rising average household incomes and a growing shift toward digital shopping. Mobile commerce was a key driver of growth, with 47 per cent of online orders in the UAE and over 50 per cent in Saudi Arabia made via mobile devices. Across Mena, mobile purchases rose to 41.5 per cent, up from 38 per cent last year, showing the ongoing shift to mobile-first shopping.
During the five-day holiday window in 2024, online orders in the Mena region increased by 5 per cent compared to non-holiday periods, while gross merchandise value (GMV) grew by 14 per cent. The average order value (AOV) rose from $37 to $40, an 8 per cent increase, showing a shift toward higher-value purchases. The UAE and Saudi Arabia, along with Kuwait, Qatar, and Jordan, stood out as some of the top-performing markets, with Saudi consumers posting an AOV of $62 and UAE shoppers close behind at $61.
The gifting sector is following this growing trend: Flowwow gifting marketplace recorded a significant surge in sales during Eid Al Adha 2024 in the UAE, with GMV rising by 472 per cent year-over-year, marking a 5.72x performance increase compared to the previous year. This growth was accompanied by a 413 per cent rise in the number of transactions during the Eid period, showing growing customer engagement and stronger market demand during the holiday. The average order value for Eid Al Adha gifts also saw an improvement, reaching Dh354.28 ($96.46) – an increase of 19.9 per cent in UAE dirham terms and 20.3 per cent in US dollar terms, proving the demand for high-quality gifts. Moreover, the share of repeat gift purchases reached 71.8 per cent, reflecting growing customer loyalty.
Consumer gifting preferences across the Mena region varied, reflecting both cultural nuances and national purchasing habits. In Saudi Arabia, electronics led the category chart, comprising 25.2 per cent of total orders, followed by home goods (15.5 per cent) and fashion (14.6 per cent). Automotive products, including spare parts and motorcycle gear, were particularly popular in the kingdom, accounting for 12.2 per cent of purchases. In the UAE, home goods took the top spot at 23.4 per cent, followed closely by electronics (21.7 per cent), accessories such as bags and jewellery (18.6 per cent), and fashion (17.5 per cent).
'During Eid Al Adha, we saw strong consumer interest in electronics, home goods, and fashion across both the UAE and Saudi Arabia, making these key categories for seasonal campaigns. At the same time, gifting segments like accessories, toys, and beauty continue to perform well, reflecting how central the tradition of gift-giving is to the holiday experience,' said Anna Gidirim, CEO of Admitad.
During the Eid Al Adha period, marketplace data indicates that peony sales in the UAE increased by 151 per cent during the June holiday week, positioning peony bouquets among the top 10 best-selling gift items. This data aligns with 2024 market findings, with the UAE flower market saw a remarkable 200 per cent surge in peony sales over the summer and over 4,300 units sold last year. This trend shows how the timing of Eid Al Adha and the short peony season came together to drive a surge in demand.
Among other popular gifting categories during the Eid Al Adha holiday on Flowwow were flowers (72 per cent), followed by hamper boxes (15 per cent), sweets and bakeries (9 per cent), and balloons and edible bouquets (2 per cent each).
One of the main drivers of these on-occasion and non-occasion shopping trends and gifting market growth is the rise of emotional and social commerce. Emotion strongly influences consumer behaviour in the Mena region: a Google study shows that shoppers often rely on emotional triggers to make purchase decisions, while another research found that marketing campaign designed to foster emotional connection can lead to a 70 per cent increase in product usage and sales.
In response, brands are moving away from transactional 'buy-now' messaging toward emotionally driven campaigns rooted in cultural values and storytelling. During Eid, influencer content and behind-the-scenes narratives on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat enhance the emotional impact of gifting. A TikTok and Ipsos study found that 61 per cent of users find TikTok more entertaining during Eid, with many discovering and trying new products through storytelling content. This emotional connection drives a shift away from generic presents toward meaningful, experience-based gifts, making social and emotional commerce a key driver of visibility and cultural relevance.
'We've seen how emotional commerce drives market activity during Eid Al Adha. This holiday, with its focus on generosity and connection, offers a key opportunity to engage with the audience through emotionally resonant messaging. People choose gifts that express real care and connection, making Eid a truly meaningful time for sharing and celebration,' Slava Bogdan, CEO of Flowwow, commented.