Social commerce in the United Arab Emirates - statistics & facts

With social media being an integral part of daily lives, it is no surprise that social commerce is gaining popularity worldwide. Social commerce refers to the process of selling products and services directly through social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and more. It goes beyond using social media for promotion purposes, but it builds connections between consumers and brands, which leads to a deeper understanding of customer needs and provides relevant solutions. By 2025, the global social commerce penetration rate was forecast to reach around 26 percent, witnessing a notable rise since 2018 at just over three percent. With its high digital connectivity, the UAE is expected to witness a similar trend as the global market.

 Opportunity in the UAE social commerce market 

Many internet users in the UAE engage in weekly online shopping activities. Furthermore, as of January 2024, the country had the highest social media penetration rate globally out of selected countries and territories, at a whopping 112.5 percent. With such high social media activity, many shoppers turn to social networks for online brand research before they make a purchase. Out of social media platforms through which social commerce can be conducted, Instagram was the UAE’s favorite, closely followed by Facebook. This widespread adoption of social media platforms further highlights the huge opportunity for businesses to leverage these channels for effective engagement and sales.  

 Influencer marketing

    Around a third of internet users in the UAE follow influencer accounts, with many shoppers wanting to see products and services tested and reviewed by others before purchasing. (1391594) Social media influencers play a huge role in online consumer shopping. They take advantage of an opportunity to not only promote products but also to build connections with followers. Influencers on Instagram in UAE with a follower count between five thousand and 10 thousand had the highest engagement rate of about four percent, followed by those between 10 thousand to 50 thousand.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Apr 19, 2024

Key insights

Number of Facebook users in UAE by 2025
6.42m
Number of Instagram users in UAE by 2025
2.75m
Social media advertising spending growth in UAE by 2025
6.11%
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