E-Commerce Boom and DIY Discounts_ How Shoppers in UAE KSA Are Reaping the Rewards

E-commerce in the Gulf has grown from being a supplementary channel to the everyday default for millions of shoppers. Across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, digital payments data shows how decisively the market has shifted. In the UAE, e-commerce already accounts for around half of card purchase volume, with discretionary categories posting double-digit growth in both frequency and spend. In Saudi Arabia, monthly volumes on the national payment networks have surged, proving that this is not a seasonal shift but a structural change in the way people shop.

The UAE’s market size makes this clear. Estimates place the value of the e-commerce sector at close to AED 32.3 billion in 2024, with projections that it could exceed AED 48 billion by 2028. This trajectory reflects a blend of widespread smartphone adoption, strong logistics infrastructure, and a consumer base that is equally at home buying groceries, fashion, or electronics from their mobile screens as they are in physical malls. In Saudi Arabia, the sector is even larger, estimated at nearly 28 billion dollars in 2025 and expected to climb toward 50 billion dollars by 2030. Spending through the Kingdom’s payment systems has grown more than seventy percent year on year, reaching almost seven billion dollars in a single month.

The players capturing these transactions highlight how consumer priorities differ by country. In the UAE, Amazon, Carrefour, and Namshi dominate the rankings, reflecting a balance between electronics, grocery, and fashion. In Saudi Arabia, leaders such as Jarir and Nahdi Pharmacy show how specialist retailers can retain their edge against international marketplaces, with fashion players like Shein and Extra Electronics close behind. Noon, the homegrown giant, remains a force across the region, with reports placing its merchandise value in the five to six billion dollar range in 2024 and ongoing plans for expansion and even a potential stock market listing.

Payment models also reflect this maturation. Buy Now Pay Later services have gone mainstream, with nearly one-third of Saudi consumers and one-fifth of UAE residents signed up for a provider. The combined BNPL market is estimated at seven billion dollars annually across both countries, and is expected to grow further as consumers adopt flexible ways to spread costs. These services, layered on top of traditional cards and mobile wallets, make it easier than ever for shoppers to transact and return.

In this environment, do-it-yourself discounting has become a cultural norm. Shoppers rarely check out without first attempting to stack multiple offers—whether it is platform sales, card-linked bonuses, or coupons. That habit is where GC Coupons has found its edge. Founded in 2020 by Yash Bhojwani, GC Coupons has become one of the most visited coupon platforms in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other regional markets. Its growth comes from a focus on speed, reliability, and working directly with retailers and affiliate networks to ensure that codes are live, valid, and localized for Arabic and English shoppers alike.

Bhojwani emphasizes that competition is healthy, but differentiation is vital. “Coupon.ae helped popularize the space, but our focus has always been depth. We spend time securing codes for very specific categories and events so our users get fewer failures and more successful checkouts. Almowafir.com has built impressive scale, but where we differ is freshness. If a code expires at four o’clock, it should be removed by four-oh-one. That’s the standard we set.” He continues, “AlCoupon.com has served the Saudi market well, particularly in fashion, but our strategy is to double down on exclusive codes with leading retailers, grocers, and digital services. The point is not to claim leadership, but to prove it on the shopper’s screen at the moment of purchase.”

Fashion offers a clear example of how this plays out. Namshi, one of the UAE’s most popular fashion platforms, consistently ranks among the country’s top online stores. Shoppers who fill their carts with sneakers, apparel, and accessories want a single code that works, not a frustrating trial-and-error loop. GC Coupons has invested in retailer-specific pages that highlight expiring offers, minimum spend requirements, and whether a code can be combined with BNPL or wallet bonuses. This level of detail reflects a philosophy that the coupon page should function as a reliable checkout extension, not just a directory.

The compounding nature of promotions across the Gulf makes the DIY approach powerful. Banks issue spend-threshold rewards, BNPL platforms offer rebates, and super-apps encourage wallet use with cashback bonuses. When these intersect with coupon codes and flash sales from the retailers themselves, savvy shoppers can unlock significant discounts. Saudi Arabia’s surging monthly e-commerce payment volumes demonstrate how these incentives normalize over time. What used to be reserved for peak sales periods like White Friday or Ramadan is now embedded into everyday transactions.

Looking ahead, the market fundamentals remain strong. The UAE is on track to reach nearly fifty billion dirhams in annual e-commerce sales by the end of the decade, provided logistics and customs keep pace. Saudi Arabia’s march toward fifty billion dollars in annual online sales will depend on deeper penetration in categories like groceries and beauty, alongside continued strength in electronics and pharmacy. Infrastructure, mobile connectivity, and young, digital-savvy populations provide the base for this expansion.

For GC Coupons, the opportunity is to remain the trusted bridge between retailer promotions and consumer behavior. “Our benchmark is simple,” says Bhojwani. “It is the reliability of the checkout button. If we say a code works, it must work. If we say it excludes Apple, it really excludes Apple. That kind of accuracy builds trust not only with users but with retailers who are willing to give us exclusives.”

Readers interested in exploring the breadth of deals available can find them at the main GC Coupons savings hub at GC Coupons. Shoppers looking specifically for fashion offers can visit Namshi coupons to see retailer-verified codes in real time.

The Gulf’s e-commerce boom is now a sustained reality, and discounts are no longer seasonal windfalls but everyday expectations. With consumers stacking bank offers, BNPL rebates, and reliable coupon codes, the smartest savings come from knowing where to look. GC Coupons is betting that by focusing on accuracy and partnerships, it can make saving money as natural as pressing “Pay.”