If Black Friday is the global shopping circus, then White Friday is the region’s main stage; and it’s not just about discounts. Born in 2014 when Souq.com rebranded the “black” into something culturally resonant, White Friday now stands as the Middle East’s very own retail holiday.
In the UAE, Saudi, Kuwait, and Egypt, it’s the moment when carts fill up, wish lists shrink, and brands get their biggest stress test of the year. And unlike the one-day blitz of Black Friday in the US, White Friday in the Middle East is built for endurance. Think four-day weekends (Nov 29 – Dec 2 this year) or even entire weeks of deals. With UAE shoppers spending on average AED 1,068 each and mobile dominating the checkout experience, the stakes and opportunities are higher than ever.
The landscape at a glance
- Spending power: Emiratis and Saudis outspend their global peers ($400 vs $230–300 average).
- Multi-day momentum: Extending promos beyond Friday can trigger up to a 135% surge in orders.
- Digital dominance: 3 in 4 UAE consumers now prefer online shopping, most of them on mobile.
So, what does winning look like for brands and marketers?
1. Start early, finish late
White Friday isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. Brands that begin teasing deals as early as late October capture nearly a quarter of early buyers. Countdowns, sneak peeks, and teaser emails drive anticipation. And the sale doesn’t have to end on Sunday: stretching promos through the week keeps carts active and audiences coming back.
2. Go multi-channel or go home
Amazon is the discovery playground: 87% of shoppers go there for inspiration, even if they purchase elsewhere. But don’t stop there: layer Instagram reels, Google ads, email drops, and influencer collabs. Retargeting is your secret weapon: bring back window shoppers with personalized nudges. Augmented reality (AR) try-ons, QR codes, and mobile interactivity are making shopping experiences easier, faster, and more engaging in the ME.
3. CX is king
A slick experience is what converts clicks into buys.
- Websites must withstand the traffic spike; look at using cloud auto-scaling, Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), and stress-tested checkout systems to stay fast and reliable under peak load.
- Mobile-first isn’t optional, it’s survival. 71% of UAE consumers integrate digital features like QR code scans, mobile payments, and price-comparison apps into their shopping experience.
- Simplify checkout: support guest logins, multiple payment options, fewer form fields.
- Offer live chat or chatbots and gain instant trust.
4. Deals that resonate
Shoppers in the region have their favourites:
- Direct discounts still rule.
- “Buy one, get one” is the second-best magnet.
- 68% of Middle East shoppers buy directly from brand websites, valuing authenticity and trusted sourcing.
- BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) is booming ; 61% prefer it, and it can boost order values by 50%.
- Add a cultural layer: bilingual messaging (Arabic + English) and locally relevant offers always hit harder.
- Free shipping never fails.
5. Deliver today, win tomorrow
Logistics make or break the season. Stock-outs frustrate (61% of shoppers fear it most). Fulfilment speed and product quality build trust. Do it right, and 74% of your White Friday buyers will come back later to restock; even at full price.
The Bottom Line
White Friday isn’t chaos, it’s choreography. The brands that prepare early, meet customers where they scroll, and deliver seamless experiences are the ones who turn seasonal spenders into loyalists.