Dubai-Based Souq.com Plans 3-Day Mega Sale, Expects 7m Visitors

Dubai-based e-commerce website Souq.com has announced plans to launch its biggest online shopping sales event to date this March.

The #HeSaleSheSale, running from March 29 to 31, will offer up to 70 per cent off on over 2,500 product deals, the company said in a statement.

Deals will be available across a range of products covering electronics, technology, fashion and accessories, among others.

Souq will also be partnering with brands such as Shangri-La and Careem to offer specific experiences targeted at the female shopper.

The company held a similar White Friday sale in November last year – in line with the traditional Black Friday shopping event – and said it sold 246,000 products and recorded a 10-fold increase in traffic during that weekend.

The #HeSaleSheSale will have twice as many deals as were on offer during White Friday, and Souq expects seven million people to visit its site over the three-day sale period.

Ronaldo Mouchawar, CEO and co-founder of Souq.com said: “We made history with White Friday. More people shopped online than ever before on that weekend.

“Since then, we have been busy diversifying our category range, particularly within the female focused category ranges such as fashion and accessories, to further respond to the needs of our growing customer base.”

Souq also confirmed that consumers who make a purchase using their MasterCard credit cards will receive a further 10 per cent off all deals.

“During the #HeSaleSheSale, we will still be offering Cash On Delivery; COD currently accounts for over 70 per cent of payments on our site,” said Asif Keshodia, CFO of Souq.com.

“However, we are seeing a shift towards credit card usage, as consumers in this region are starting to become more comfortable with online payments,” he added.

The #HeSaleSheSale deals will be live from March 28 on the Souq.com mobile app, and from March 29 to 31 on the website.

The region’s e-commerce market has been growing at a rapid rate and rose 34 per cent last year, bringing the value of the market to $10-12 billion. It is expected to reach roughly $15 billion this year, according to Mouchawar.

The UAE’s e-commerce market specifically has been growing at around 38 per cent annually since 2009, and is currently poised to reach around $2 billion, according to Omar Kassim, CEO of UAE-based e-commerce site JadoPado.

Over the next five years, it is expected to grow at around 25 per cent annually, and is projected to reach between $10 – $12 billion by 2018, he said.