Published
May 30, 2017
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Ramadan internet users shop more at night post-fast - study

Published
May 30, 2017

An increase in internet activity in the Middle East and North Africa during the month-long Ramadan festivities will see a surge in online sales across the region, according to a study released by Criteo, particularly at night when Ramadan shoppers have broken their fast.


Criteo measured an increase in e-commerce sales to 36 percent in the evening once consumers have broken their fast - Criteo


According to Criteo, which took e-commerce data from Ramadan last year, online retail sales increased by 18% two weeks before Ramadan 2016 and surged to 66% in the third week of the month compared, marking a 51% average increase over the period.

Mobile retail purchases increased the most, up 17%, in the two weeks leading up to Ramadan, and 36% of retail sales took place between the hours of 9pm and 5am, said Criteo.

“To engage with shoppers, retailers need to know when they are most active online. Compared with the period prior to Ramadan where e-commerce transactions amounted to 73 percent during the day, transactions during Ramadan dropped to 64 percent," said report authors.

“However, Criteo measured an increase in e-commerce sales to 36 percent in the evening once consumers have broken their fast – an increase from 27 percent during the evening in the pre-Ramadan period."

The technology marketing firm analysed a million transactions from more than 100 retail and travel advertisers based in the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia across desktop, smartphones and tablets.

The transactions took place from two weeks before last year’s Ramadan and throughout the holy month. Criteo said online traffic -- both browsing and buying -- increased just before and during Ramadan, but dropped off for Eid Al-Fitr, the religious holiday that signals the end of the season.

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